Posted by ZeeCA on 5/28/07 11:47am
Msg #192361

OT: Sylvia, you have not posted or updated on yr hubby

so I presume all is well?

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 5/28/07 2:06pm
Msg #192386

Thank you for asking Zee. He is doing fine, although when he got the hospital bill for what they consider his share now the insurance paid almost gave me a heart attack! They figure he owes $10,333,00 - and some change. This is a big mistake. He is going to go over to the Tricare office this week and sort it out.

St Jude Medical which supplied the defribrillator sent him a "modem" to hook up to the phone line so they can check it over the phone line periodically.

Reply by aatatusko on 5/28/07 2:34pm
Msg #192398

So happy to hear Bruce is doing well! When my husband had his 'installed' they quoted a 'rough' estimate of $25k which we would be responsible for 20%. It turned out after all the bills came in the total was closer to $125k, kinda like the good faith estimates we all see that are out of wack. To top it off, his is on the recall list ~ with no fixes in sight!

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 5/28/07 2:54pm
Msg #192407

The total hospital bill was almost $70,000 but we have Tricare Prime insurance, if we had Tricare standard we would have been responsible for 20% of the allowable charges. Tricare Prime is a heck of a lot less.

Reply by ZeeCA on 5/28/07 5:13pm
Msg #192433

I am glad he is doing better but YIKES it is expensive being in a hospital...

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 5/28/07 5:16pm
Msg #192435

The defibrillator itself was over $29,000.00

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 5/28/07 8:18pm
Msg #192459

Oops - the defibrillator was $26593.50 not $29,000.00.
Total bill was $60949.10.

I am waiting for the Tricare statement showing the allowable charges, and I should be able to tell from the Tricare statement if they have charged it as POS instead of an authorized procedure. Sure glad he was only in hospital overnight!

Reply by ZeeCA on 5/28/07 5:14pm
Msg #192434

AAT: I hope he gets the recall done soon.. ... n/m

Reply by aatatusko on 5/29/07 7:10am
Msg #192476

Re: AAT: I hope he gets the recall done soon.. ...

I hope they take care of the recall too. I has been over a year, they say they are waiting on a fix that they can do without removing the thing. Supposedly it is too dangerous to take it out and put in another, sounds too expensive to me. My husband is 65, had a heart attack on Christmas day in 1989, he lost 1/3 of his heart that day, but ten days later our son was born...I drove myself to the hospital, as he was still in the hospital in another state. Except for the heart problems he is totally well.

Reply by BrendaTx on 5/28/07 7:21pm
Msg #192455

Re: OT: Sylvia, you have not posted -- Amy...

Your husband has had heart surgery? Isn't he kind of young? That's scary. My sister-in-law had a heart attack when she was 33.

Reply by MikeC/NY on 5/28/07 9:08pm
Msg #192464

<<They figure he owes $10,333,00 - and some change.>>

I think they do that just to make sure the heart is working properly... If you can handle the shock of seeing the bill, you're doing fine...

<<St Jude Medical which supplied the defribrillator sent him a "modem" to hook up to the phone line so they can check it over the phone line periodically.>>

My dad has pretty much the same thing - they put in a pacemaker and gave him a modem. Once a week he calls in and they check to make sure everything is working OK. Ain't technology wonderful?

Reply by PL on 5/28/07 6:58pm
Msg #192450

I guess those years in Uncle Sam's employ paid off. :) n/m

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 5/28/07 7:02pm
Msg #192451

Re: I guess those years in Uncle Sam's employ paid off. :)

Yes, if they straighten the hospital bill out

Reply by PL on 5/28/07 7:17pm
Msg #192454

I have found.....

that Tricare will send a refusal first (it only costs 41cents) on the hope that you'll say okay and pay it yourself. The last couple of tussles we've had were straightened out only after the third or so billing/refusal notice and a few calls. Of course having the insurance is a great help in this business as the cost is very reasonable. Good luck with the bureaucrats.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 5/28/07 7:49pm
Msg #192456

Re: I have found.....

Never had a problem before. Bruce is going into the Tricare office this week to have it taken care of. That bill from the hospital would be about right, I think, if we had Tricare Standard, but we pay for the Tricare Prime.

Reply by PL on 5/28/07 8:06pm
Msg #192457

No office around us, too far from the flagpole. Good luck. n/m

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 5/28/07 8:19pm
Msg #192460

Lucky we live close to PAFB:) n/m