Oh crap! That's just the copay? Yeah, I'd definitely be screwed. Your plan sucks...but then, most of us who aren't in Congress have sucky health plans. $800 in all? Yikes. Sorry I misunderstood.

When I had to go to the ER in December, even though they didn't admit me or give me anything or use any equipment, the bill was about $785. No copay. Insurance paid $580 or so, I proved I was poor, hospital never sent me a bill. I got lucky.

I keep reading my health insurance brochure and I can't figure out if whether my seeking treatment at the hospital would count as "Hospital Outpatient Department or Walk-In Visit Expense" or as "Emergency Room Visit" or as "Inpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Expense." Depending on whether they decide to keep me I can see the latter, but why couldn't I just talk to one of their staff psychiatrists about my medications and have it count as outpatient? Grrr...and if I call the insurance co they may tell me it's not a true emergency and they won't pay.

So if it's considered ER, I have a $150 copay, then they'll only pay $1,000 max after that. If it's Inpatient, it's only a $20 copay "per visit". How does that make sense? But the inpatient says it requires "prior review" to be obtained. And hospital outpatient has no copay, but they'll only pay 75% of the charge. Man, why can't things be more simple??

If intelligent rational people were raving as loud as the nutjobs who don't want the system changed at all due to being drummed up on fear by the right (I'm not a leftist, more libertarian, but left of center)...perhaps they'd start voting on this friggin' reform bill already. Of course, such people don't act like idiots in public because they're not largely ruled by their gut and the limbic, primitive parts of their brains.

I'd guess that 70% want another option for their healthcare, even if it is "run by the government", 20% are ignoring the whole thing, and that 10% are making the headlines and scaring their senators and representatives into capitulating into doing nothing when everyone knows that's no solution at all. Pisses me off. Maybe they want to go bankrupt to the bottomless pit that is healthcare cost in this country, but I sure as **** don't. Maybe I'll move to France. Not really. I like cheese and wine and bucolic life, but my French is terrible.

Haha...I'll have to remember that. Have my guy carry me in. Of course he only weighs 175 and I'm just shy of 110, so I'm not sure I'd want to take his back out in the process...then we'd have two ER bills.

I know I need help, but I'm trying to hang on for 12 more days until I can see the new p-doc.

Hope you're doing okay today.