Off topic but medicare info.

[Dick Byron]

Ouch. I have tried to post the bill but file is to big. The bill came today. $1,054,681.10. 4 heart bypass, one aorta valve and a pacemaker.

Dick Byron 

[Dave_Trible]

Dick I hope your plan will cover most of it.  OR I suppose they could just take a little at a time out of your SS check.  You'll have to live a LONG time to pay it back.  Maybe a part time job......  :-)).  Ironically I just got my first Medicare bill today.  Pay in your whole working life,  still working and paying in and still get an additional whopper to pay.   Something seems a little out of adjustment here....Better than nothing I guess.

Dave

Glad you are here to raz about it though....

[peabody]

You're worth it Dick!

[Jim Kraft]

I ended up with about that same amount almost 8 years ago for open heart. Had aortic valve replaced with a donner valve. Between medicare and Blue Cross Blue Shield. I did not have one penny out of pocket expense. Even the EMT's who started my heart again and took me to the hospital were paid.

[Dick Byron]

My cost was $185.00 total for the year. You have to have a supplemental policy. Mine is through Mutual of Omaha.

P.S.  The valve is a pig valve, I guess it just fits better.

[944_Jim]

Back in 1976, my Dad had pig valves put in his heart.  What they didn't tell him at the time was they are only good for 5 to 7 years,and he had to go through more surgery to replace them.  Might want to ask your Dr about that..  I'm sure they have made more progress than they had in the 70's.

Pigs are being made better these days?

Actually this topic is near and dear to my heart...well, my buddy's heart. He has an appointment to have one done via catheter up his leg. At least that is how he described the process.

[Dennis Nunes]

At the time this happened (Feb. 2017) it wasn't too funny... but I can laugh at it now. It goes like this:

I was watching TV in the late afternoon and all of a sudden I was having trouble breathing, throwing up, indigestion, heartburn, chest pains, etc. I called my doctor and he said get to the hospital right away. So I had my wife drive me to the emergency. I didn't think of calling 911. I get there and at this point I'm clutching my chest and was in pretty bad shape. I’m trying to talk with the receptionist as she is trying to get all my information (name, insurance, etc.). Then she said the magical words that caught my attention that I never forgot, "Have a seat someone will be right with you"!

Instantly, what flashed through my mind was that I could see myself sitting in the emergency waiting room for hours, the staff calling for me and no one answering …. because I’m dead!
However without hesitation, I told the young lady straight up, “No, you better get someone out here NOW and get me before I pass out on the floor". They did…

Three stents and a couple of days later I was doing much better. Then the bills started coming in. I thought I was going to have another heart attack…. The total was close to $600,000! Needless to say, I’m glad I had insurance. Oh, I did meet my out-of-pocket expenses for the year! 

Dennis

[john e. holliday]

So glad my little incident a few years wasn't a heart attack.  Still cost me a bunch.  Too bad the politicians aren't required to have the same coverage as the average citizen..

[Dick Byron]

Actually medicare  part b with the supplemental policy "N" costs $275.00 per month. Not bad for what it covers. The pigs are much skinnier now but my desire for slop has reminded me of my Army days.