Getting Health Service in the US

[Aoyi]

Hey Everyone.

I don't really post threads here. I've been far more of a reader, but I've just had one of the scariest moments of my life. About an hour ago, I woke up in my shower with my leg twisted behind me. The last thing I can remember is chest pain. Well I don't know that I'd say pain. More awareness. I felt my heart beating really hard, then I apparently blacked out. I've had mild panic attacks in the past, but nothing like this. One minute I feel fine (I think). The next I'm unconscious. I remember being stressed out about an appointment I have coming up and general anxieties with life. I just woke up in some of the worst pain I've felt in a very long time. And made even worse because your mind can't figure out what's going on when you wake up, so there's even more panic about how to get the pain to stop before you can realize what to do. So that's the background of what just happened. Now for the Health Services part.

I just moved to the area, so I don't know any doctors around here. I looked up the nearest on my phone and explained what just happened. Their first question is "What insurance do you have?" I respond, "I'm not sure at this moment. I think Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware. I don't know where my card is right now. Can I give you the information later?" She responds, "Well we need to know your insurance." I repsond "I think the card is in our bedroom, but I'm in the living room at the moment. I've hurt my leg rather badly. Is there any way I can give you the info later?" She says, No, before we can make an appointment, I'll need your insurance info." I ask if she can hold on as I don't know how easy it will be to make it to the bedroom. She waits several minutes as I make my way to the bed. I tell her that I can't find it at the moment, but I can call my wife to get it. I just need to be seen. She reponds, "Its ok as long as you can find it before you get here. The soonest we can see you is Wednesday morning."

Now I just spent 10 minutes on the phone with someone who heard what happened to me and made me drag myself to another room despite all the pain for an insurance card even though they don't plan on seeing me for 2 days. Now I'm laying down with my leg up just trying to relax until my wife gets home. For anyone who thinks the American Healthcare service is ok just the way it is, this is just my recent experience as someone who has insurance. I can't imagine how much harder it is for those who don't even have it now.

[Wiyld]

We have a mechanism for providing the immediate, no questions asked, medical care you seemed to be seeking.

Its real simple, already admitted having a phone, you spent time looking up medical services on it.

Just dial 911.




I had to add this:

Really? It was 'one of the scariest moment of your life' and you are apparently in severe pain and within an hour you figured the best course of action was to make a post to complain about healthcare in the US on a video game forum?


/boggle

[cdtcpl]

Sorry, that doesn't sound right to me. As someone who has had a couple similar experiences in the past they typically ask you "Is this a life threatening emergency?" If it was, they would have either suggested you call 911 or just do so for you.

Second, if you answered it wasn't then they would have either suggested to go to a place that can take you immediately like an ER or a local place that takes almost any insurance.

Third, they get your insurance information when you show up. I have had them inquire about it when I was on the phone, I tell them that I don't know it off the top of my head, and then they suggest to make it easier I bring the card when I get there.

Finally, you can always call some other place, or call back and state that this is an emergency and can't wait. Doctors do take immediate clients all the time, it is part of the reason why they are always running late.

So I'm not calling you a liar, I am suggesting that my experiences are vastly different from yours.

[Deathquoi]

Hey Everyone.

I don't really post threads here. I've been far more of a reader, but I've just had one of the scariest moments of my life. About an hour ago, I woke up in my shower with my leg twisted behind me. The last thing I can remember is chest pain. Well I don't know that I'd say pain. More awareness. I felt my heart beating really hard, then I apparently blacked out. I've had mild panic attacks in the past, but nothing like this. One minute I feel fine (I think). The next I'm unconscious. I remember being stressed out about an appointment I have coming up and general anxieties with life. I just woke up in some of the worst pain I've felt in a very long time. And made even worse because your mind can't figure out what's going on when you wake up, so there's even more panic about how to get the pain to stop before you can realize what to do. So that's the background of what just happened. Now for the Health Services part.

I just moved to the area, so I don't know any doctors around here. I looked up the nearest on my phone and explained what just happened. Their first question is "What insurance do you have?" I respond, "I'm not sure at this moment. I think Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware. I don't know where my card is right now. Can I give you the information later?" She responds, "Well we need to know your insurance." I repsond "I think the card is in our bedroom, but I'm in the living room at the moment. I've hurt my leg rather badly. Is there any way I can give you the info later?" She says, No, before we can make an appointment, I'll need your insurance info." I ask if she can hold on as I don't know how easy it will be to make it to the bedroom. She waits several minutes as I make my way to the bed. I tell her that I can't find it at the moment, but I can call my wife to get it. I just need to be seen. She reponds, "Its ok as long as you can find it before you get here. The soonest we can see you is Wednesday morning."

Now I just spent 10 minutes on the phone with someone who heard what happened to me and made me drag myself to another room despite all the pain for an insurance card even though they don't plan on seeing me for 2 days. Now I'm laying down with my leg up just trying to relax until my wife gets home. For anyone who thinks the American Healthcare service is ok just the way it is, this is just my recent experience as someone who has insurance. I can't imagine how much harder it is for those who don't even have it now.

Doctors offices are not for emergencies. If you pass out in the shower and hurt your leg badly you should call 911 and go to the hospital. The system needs work but you did the wrong thing. Also, if you had done that in the UK they probably would have said "jolly good, see you in 3 months!"

[Aoyi]

911 is for emergency service. When you call, you are paying for the ambulance, emts, possibly police to investigate as this happened in the home, etc. I feel that I can get myself to a doctor once I can get to my vehicle without requiring emergency services. I just feel that the situation I described above is not how medical practices should be run. I have insurance. I just wanted to get to a doctor.

[Porcell]

So you blacked out in the shower due to chest pains... and you lay down on the couch? Go to the emergency room, dude.

If you want to schedule a doctor visit, then schedule one. You can't expect to get in immediately. That's what urgent care or an emergency room is for.

[cdtcpl]

911 is for emergency service. When you call, you are paying for the ambulance, emts, possibly police to investigate as this happened in the home, etc. I feel that I can get myself to a doctor once I can get to my vehicle without requiring emergency services. I just feel that the situation I described above is not how medical practices should be run. I have insurance. I just wanted to get to a doctor.

Have you found your insurance card yet? If so, there is usually a number on it that can help you get in contact with a local doctor in your area that is available. It is part of the services they provide.

[Herecius]

911 is for emergency service. When you call, you are paying for the ambulance, emts, possibly police to investigate as this happened in the home, etc. I feel that I can get myself to a doctor once I can get to my vehicle without requiring emergency services. I just feel that the situation I described above is not how medical practices should be run. I have insurance. I just wanted to get to a doctor.

If you are terrified and fearing for your life as you seemed to imply, you dial 911.

If you aren't in immediate danger, which you are also implying, then you get your insurance card, make an appointment, and then wait to see the doctor. Not sure what you really want the good folks of MMO-Champ to do for you.

It's great that you feel that you can get yourself to a doctor, but if you're that worried, drive yourself to the hospital then and wait in the emergency room.

[PvPisthelifeforme]

Also have to realize, many people commit fraud with "medical" issues just for drugs here. You see the system being flawed (which in some aspects yes), while some druggies are able to work the system flawlessly.

[Lefeng]

Stop posting and go to the emergency room. NOW.

[Reeve]

911 is for emergency service. When you call, you are paying for the ambulance, emts, possibly police to investigate as this happened in the home, etc. I feel that I can get myself to a doctor once I can get to my vehicle without requiring emergency services. I just feel that the situation I described above is not how medical practices should be run. I have insurance. I just wanted to get to a doctor.

If you can get yourself to a doctor once you get to a car and don't want to pay for the EMT, just go to the emergency room. That's what's there for emergencies. If your leg is sufficiently injured that you can't get up to go look for your insurance card, you should be going to the Emergency room. The regular doctor isn't there to handle emergencies like this, which is why they want you to make an appointment at a later date.

[Wiyld]

911 is for emergency service. When you call, you are paying for the ambulance, emts, possibly police to investigate as this happened in the home, etc. I feel that I can get myself to a doctor once I can get to my vehicle without requiring emergency services. I just feel that the situation I described above is not how medical practices should be run. I have insurance. I just wanted to get to a doctor.

So... you want medical care immediately, with no questions asked. No appointment, no reassurance from you that you cane ven pay for the service....just...fix me now and trust me.

But you don't want to call 911 because....I don't know, you don't want to pay for it apparently.

So...your saying you expect, you feel entitled, to have other people drop what they are doing and rush to be available for you. Again without providing any proof that you can compensate them for the work they will perform. Do you think medical services are free? What do you do for a living? Can I call you at work and say 'oh hey i need you to get ready for me to show up in a couple mins with a bunch of work for you to do, oh and TRUST me, I can pay for it.

We have a mechanism to provide immediate emergency care for surprise situations exactly like what you described.

Beyond that, business is business, stop holding your personal health over the heads of working professionals.

Don't come back at me with a 'but I was in pain, its different when people are in pain' because it isn't.

[Deleted]

Also, if you had done that in the UK they probably would have said "jolly good, see you in 3 months!"

Which UK do you live in?

For non-life threatening emergencies the waiting time is roughly the same as the OP's experience.

For life threatening, A&E will see you immediately although if you're not actually dying or in danger triage might put you behind someone who is meaning a waiting period of minutes-hours at most depending on severity of you versus those around you.

[anveena]

You should be calling 911 to get taken to the ER or have a friend/family member drive you there. I think scheduling a doctors appointment for chest pains/blacking out is a very bad idea.

[Deleted]

Doctors offices are not for emergencies. If you pass out in the shower and hurt your leg badly you should call 911 and go to the hospital. The system needs work but you did the wrong thing. Also, if you had done that in the UK they probably would have said "jolly good, see you in 3 months!"

Ever had to use the NHS? You are full of crap.

[belfpala]

You should be calling 911 to get taken to the ER or have a friend/family member drive you there. I think scheduling a doctors appointment for chest pains/blacking out is a very bad idea.

Uhh... yes, this.

[Khat]

This doesn't sound right to me either. Everyone knows 911 is the # to call for emergencies, my own doctor would tell me to go to emergency or call 911...

Health care in the US is a shameful problem without insurance this is a whole other subject.

[Bolson13]

If i call my doctor early enough he will see me the same day. And only then i tell him what the problem is. Even if it is for something small. Pretty nice.

[Deathquoi]

I guess the Guardian and the Telegraph are full of crap too. Feel free to substitute Canada for the UK if it offends your delicate sensibilities. Although I don't think Canadians say "jolly good". So instead they'd say "it'll be aboot a month. Soorry!"

[Deleted]

I guess the Guardian and the Telegraph are full of crap too. Feel free to substitute Canada for the UK if it offends your delicate sensibilities. Although I don't think Canadians say "jolly good". So instead they'd say "it'll be aboot a month. Soorry!"

Lol, you forgot the daily mail too.