[Dailydrool] Agree with Sandy

[Karen M.]

Vi,
Everything Sandy said was true.  When it comes to the heart you can’t delay treatment.
One thing to always remember is if you are not feeling okay don’t let the ER doc discharge 
you.  

ER cannot deny anyone treatment unless they want to break federal laws but they can discharge 
you once they consider a person to be stable.  Also when the bill comes in tell you friend not to be
shocked.  The amount of the bill does not necessarily mean that is the amount she has to pay.  ER’s 
always charge a whole lot more for the services.  (Example: A U/A can cost $500 in the ER and about
$30-$50 when sent to the lab from a doctor’s office.)   Once she gets the bill she needs to call the billing
office.  Hospitals have the ability to greatly reduce the bill or even write off the total costs if her income 
is low.  The program is called the indigent program but it also applies to low income people as well.   
All nonprofit hospitals are required by law to write off a certain percentage of costs.  She should also check 
into some of the low cost clinics and/or apply for Medicaid which may cover the full cost or she 
could have a share of cost that is much lower than what the bill would be for private pay.

If she has Medicare then she can ask if the hospital will accept the Medicare assignment as payment
in full.  Some doctors and hospitals will do this but you have to ask.  The doctors and hospitals don’t 
usually advertise this. 

What ever she does she needs to have a regular doctor.   When it comes to the heart a person cannot ignore 
it.  One of the biggest risks with A-fib is blood clots.   My recommendation for anyone who is ordered Coumadin is
to always go on the name brand instead of the generic warfarin.  The reason is that generics can legally have
15% more or less of the main ingredient.  With warfarin (generic name) it is harder to stabilize the person because 
they may not have the same generic each month so there can be a difference in the amount of drug they are 
receiving.  That can lead to increase testing and the need for an increase in med or being prescribed other meds
if the blood is too thin.  

We are sending heart healthy drool to your friend.  I hope that she can soon find a way to be able to get some type
of coverage because she needs a doctor.

Droolz,
Karen and the Dog House Gang 
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