{Disarmed} RE: Insurance

[Guest guest]

Ann,

Where do you live?

Joi

_____

From: chondromalacia treatment

[mailto:chondromalacia treatment ] On Behalf Of Ann

Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 3:29 PM

chondromalacia treatment

Subject: Re: Insurance

Yeah, I remember only 10 years ago I had the same insurance, didn't cost me

anything for the premium, no deductible, and they paid 100%. I was dating

someone in 1991 who sold medical equipment and he told me what was coming up

with managed care, etc., and I remember getting angry at him for even

thinking such a thing. But it all came to pass. Even PPO's now have begun to

act more like managed care.

No, I'm just getting one done. I already had another knee op this year --

partial meniscectomy on the other knee (L). I had one of those on the R knee

2 1/2 yrs ago, so clearly my menisci are falling apart, and when the doc did

the L partial meniscectomy, he noted chondromalacia in that knee (which is

my pain source in the R knee), but I don't have pain from that. However,

I've had pain in the L knee on the side ever since the operation. and

there's no doubt that, once my R knee heals and I become more active, my L

knee is going to go. I'd like to just get them both done because for sure

I'm going to max out my copayment this year, so it would be " free " , but I

can't imagine rehabbing 2 knees at once.

Now I have a problem getting food (like milk, that you can't stock up on)

until I can drive (I live alone). Dial-a-Lift doesn't come out " this far "

(it's not that far), the nearest bus stop is a mile away, a taxi to where I

shop would cost $80 round trip. I'm talking to Meals on Wheels now. All my

neighbors work during the day. I do have a friend who's willing to come up

(about 1000 miles) for a week, and I may decide to call on her.

One of the things I read about here is the toilet seat height extension,

which seems to me like a very good idea, but my doc's nurse said they don't

want you to use one -- they want you to use your knee. (If they'd write an

Rx my insurance might pay for part of it.) The regular seat is so low down,

I can't imagine making it all the way back up (comments, anyone? Can you

just pull yourself back up w/crutches?). I can see myself falling down &

rolling across the floor back to the bed. Sigh.

Well, I'm in limbo until Oct. 17. Or rather 16, when I'll have to find some

way to get to the bus station, take a Greyhound to Seattle, where my cousin

will pick me up so I can stay at his place overnight so he can take me to

the hospital in the morning. All day trip. Another cousin will bring me

home. Funny how many cousins ended up here -- there are 5 of us here. From

Arkansas! But that's out of 50.

Ann

Insurance

Hi Ann,

Yes insurance isn't what it used to be. I have a $250 deductible on

medical equipment and a $500 on medical. So the $500 I already put out

for my 2 surgeries didn't count toward the brace deduct.

I also have a share pay of 20%. Boy when my husband has his heart

bypass a few years ago I only had a $250 deductible and didn't cost me

a red cent after that. Now just 4 years later my 2 scope surgeries

cost me almost $2000.

Insurances really have the last say these days. When I haave my knee

TKR I plan to get them both done at the same time mainly because of

cost but recovery time as well. I have to save up the vacation time

for that. Although it will be nice to walk with out the pain, it is

kind of nerve wracking thinking of the recovery from TKR. Are you

doing both?

JoAnn