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May 03, 2018

Auto Insurance Compare: Tips and Trick

Car Insurance ,
Auto Insurance Compare: Tips and Trick

Auto Insurance Compare: Tips and Trick | insurance-1st.blogspot.com
It is necessary to compare the auto insurance policies as it can save a substantial amount of money and give you better coverage options. Unlucky, with so many choices currently available in the auto insurance market, it can be quite difficult to know which products to choose. Understanding some basic facts about the insurance
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April 26, 2018

Another $Million Patient

Another $Million Patient
Last year, we reported on a Wellmark insured who was running through $1,000,000 a month in claims. In that case, the patient was a hemophiliac, and his treatment was obviously quite expensive.

It never occurred to me to consider the third party in that scenario: the drug company that made and sold the med(s) used in that treatment.

Flash forward (almost) a year, and FoIB Holly R alerts us to another, similar case:

"Olive-McCoy, 44, has hereditary angioedema (HAE), a life-threatening disease so rare that many doctors have only read about it ... the price of just one of Olive-McCoy’s drugs will be about $600,000 this year ... she has received hospital bills for more than $1 million"

Oy.

So first, we certainly wish Mrs Olive-McCoy well, and hope that her continuing treatments prove successful. But this post isn't really about her: it's about how "Big Pharma" actually engages in a win-win strategy with cases like this.

And yes, there certainly are other such cases:

"Pharmaceutical companies donate to independent charities that cover drug co-pays and, in some cases, health insurance premiums so that financially needy patients such as Olive-McCoy can afford the best health-care plans and get the treatment they need to survive."

Very generous of them, but one wonders "why?" Companies are in business to make money, and are accountable to their stakeholders. So why all this charity?

Well, one reason would be good will: folks like and admire companies that engage in this sort of behavior.

For another, it's good business:

"Patients such as Olive-McCoy are extremely valuable to drug companies. Costs of treating rare diseases averaged $140,000 a year in 2016 ... a pharmaceutical company’s $1 million donation to a charity for patients with rare diseases can generate up to a $21 million return in drug reimbursements."

That's a heck of an ROI, no?

But so what? If the patient gets the treatment they need, at little or no cost, then what difference does it make if the company that provides that treatment makes out, too?

Well, that's a pretty picture, but leaves out a critical detail: none of this is "free;" that is, someone pays that $21 million.

Care to guess whom?

Not saying that's necessarily "a bad thing," but it is something to consider.

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Stupid DPC Tricks

Stupid DPC Tricks
I'm beginning to see why Direct Primary Care continues to remain a blip on the health care radar (comprising 3% of practices, it's basically a rounding error):
This is just silly: why would an insurer care how much that hypothetical MRI cost in this example? It's not like they're the ones paying for it. And if the insured has already met their deductible, the carrier has a vested interest in encouraging its insureds to find the lowest price.

I'm becoming less and less enamored of this health care delivery model every day.
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April 25, 2018

Wednesday Weirdness

Wednesday Weirdness
■ Shot:

Our friend Dr Emer Jose tips us to this breaking news:

"Drunk People Are Better at Creative Problem Solving"

That headline is, perhaps, a bit misleading, since the study sampled men exclusively. Still, interesting analysis.

■ Chaser:

From the "Where there's a will, there's a way" Department comes this heartwarming story of a vet whose male bits, which had been blown off by a roadside bomb while he was deployed in Afghanistan:

"Veteran receives penis and scrotum transplant in surgery doctors say is a medical first"

To be fair, this was the first surgery of its kind here in the US; nevertheless it's nice that, at least in this instance, our servicemembers are receiving decent care.
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April 24, 2018

A Happy Camper

A Happy Camper
Well, patient, anyway:

Recently, I've had two occasions to be treated by Dr Nava at Medix Urgent Care here in Warm & Cheerful Centerville (Ohio).

The first, a few months ago, was flu-related; that is, I had it. I finally gave in to The Better Half's "suggestions" and headed over. I had never been there before (to the best of my recollection, I've never been treated at any urgent care before) so I didn't know what to expect. After signing in, filling out the intake form and a scan of my ID and insurance card (I could have opted for cash, but chose not to), I had a short (maybe half-hour?) wait until I was seen. Dr Nava was warm and caring, and when I explained that my wife's Primary Care had diagnosed her with the flu less than 24 hours earlier, she knew the score. I collected up my Tammiflu scrip, and headed off to the pharmacy.

All-in, maybe an hour-and-a-half's time and I was back at home, in bed and recovering.

Last week, I developed a rather ugly stye on my eyelid. I really didn't want to seek medical attention for such a trifle, so I tried the warm compress thing. And the warm teabag thing. And the antibiotic ointment thing. When I found myself reaching for the x-acto knife I knew the time had come to return to Dr Nava (yes, we have a Primary Care, but I really wanted to just get this done and over with as quickly as possible). She recognized me from my flu adventure, and took a look at the stye. When she learned that I'd been with the hot/warm compresses for at least 4 days with no noticeable results, she suggested we try brute force, and then a prescription anti-biotic.

A few seconds later, stye is mostly gone, and I have the ointment, and instructions to continue the compresses for a little while to make sure it's truly all cleared up.

I really can't say enough good things about Medix Urgent Care or Dr Nava. Great care, great folks.
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April 23, 2018

Medi(s)care heads' up

Medi(s)care heads' up
Identity theft has become an ever growing problem; most folks think it pertains primarily to credit cards and the like. But your Visa info isn't the only valuable item in your wallet: in an effort to stem the tide of health care fraud, the folks in DC have (finally) followed their own rules and changed the face of Medicare ID cards:

"Millions of people 65 or older will soon get new Medicare cards to prevent identity theft ... Social Security numbers aren’t being printed on the new cards. Instead, they will contain 11-digit personal identifiers with numbers and letters"

Which makes sense: previously, one's social security number doubles as one's Medicare ID (which became a big issue, too). As co-blogger Kelley poijnted out several years ago:

"According to the article, doctors do not need your social security number to bill. That is correct; however, we do need your social security number if you choose not to pay your bill and we have to turn you over to collections."

Yeah, those pesky doctors and wanting to get paid for services rendered. The point, though, was that folks were concerned about identity theft being helped along by having one's social security number on their Medicare card.

So here, at least, the government is addressing the issue, however late to the game it may be.

That's the good news.

The bad news is that nogoodniks have already begun to find ways to exploit this new development:

"But now con artists are cold calling seniors around the U.S. about the new cards ... trying to steal seniors’ Social Security numbers, bank account numbers and credit card information."

So what's the best way to fight these crooks?

Well, Indiana’s Senior Medicare Patrol program director Nancy Moore says "People need to know Medicare won't call you. They only operate via U.S. mail, but the scammers are very persistent."

Looks like "Just hang up" is the new "Just say no."
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April 21, 2018

The MVNHS© Giveth, and the MVNHS© Taketh Away

The MVNHS© Giveth, and the MVNHS© Taketh Away
A few weeks ago, we reported that the Much Vaunted National Health Service© had granted not-quite-two-years-old Alfie Evans a (temporary) reprieve:

"Alfie Evans’ Life Support Won’t be Switched Off, Delayed After Pope Francis Intervenes on His Behalf"

And it's critical to remember that his parents were willing to foot the entire health care bill themselves (likely with a little help from their friends).

Well, it seems that the poor toddler's time has, in fact, now run out:

"UK Supreme Court declines appeal from parents of ill toddler"

And so the plug will be pulled, and little Alfie will be gone (but certainly not forgotten by anyone with a heart).

Here's the thing: while reasonable folks could disagree about the utility of further treatment (he's "in a "semi-vegetative state" as the result of a degenerative neurological condition"), and it could further be argued that public health care dollars pounds would be wasted, in this case it's actually cost the MVNHS© more money to fight his being flown elsewhere for treatment at his parents' expense.

But hey: Free health "care."
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