American Healthcare - Up Close & Personal

There are those life changing moments ..seconds really …that remind us of our mortality and lack of control over our environment. I won’t even pretend that my recent knee injury is comparable to the pain and suffering experienced by millions around the world on a daily basis. However, it did ‘knock me off my game’ and put me front and center in a world many navigate on a daily basis – The American Healthcare System.

First of all, let me say…..I have health insurance and for that I am grateful. With my husband and I being self-employed, and two kids, we pay
A LOT each month for our coverage…however, it is there when we need it, and I needed it last week when I fell and broke my patella.

As soon as you enter the emergency room door you are asked about insurance. Prior to surgery, I was informed my deductible would have to be paid in full. (We paid it, however I was erroneously asked two more times during my hospital stay to pay the deductible!)

Hospital recordkeeping is in the stone ages and doesn’t seem to take advantage of existing technology. I could twitter thousands of people my medical stats at any given time and they would have them instantly….however, in a hospital it can take a whole day to collect the info and get it to a patient’s doctor!

I am certain that my knee injury will generate many, many pages of documentation and cost us thousands of dollars….and again…I HAVE insurance. I am reasonably educated, however I don’t understand medical billing—one event generates bills from various doctors, labs, and medical offices! I have gone through this with family members and know it’s a headache…. I am still getting new medical bills for my late father who died three years ago!!

This is ridiculous!

Before I end this blog….I must comment on all the outstanding people who work in healthcare! The medical personnel I interfaced with (other than the billing department) were absolutely wonderful! Many went above and beyond in making sure I was comfortable and understood what was happening around me. I hope these people are appreciated within their industry and paid well—and I’m not just talking about the doctors and nurses—I mean the aides, the people that clean the rooms, the people that bring the food, etc.

So I’ll stop the ranting….I know that most of you can relate to this.

I’ll end by saying: The American Healthcare System is Sick!