Visit with the Electro cardiologist today. Battery in #2 pacemaker has about reached it's expiration date, it was plugged in Jan. 2013.
Replacement Pacemakers are a out patient surgery. A-hole Dr made a cameo appearance.
Most of his clients are massively ignorant and I got the short shrift too.
Looks like he and I need a chat in his office to clarify treatment I am paying for. Albeit Medicare will pick up some. The supplemental insurance, United Health Care coverage is a don't know.
Tom
If you have elective surgery and there is still time, see if getting a pre-treatment estimate with all insurances. The other thing is to also ask if you had no insurance at all (hypothetical in most cases), ask the doctor what the cost would be.
FYI, the wait time to get a response, about pre-treatment estimate dollar amount, can be a few weeks to a month and a half from my past experiences.
Medicare Advantage is well, not something I would ever choose, as it is privatized with investors. So, I have Original Medicare.
With the Original Medicare, you have to see if your doctors are part of what is call Direct Contracting Entity (DCE) or Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (REACH) Model. There might be a sign on the doctor’s office wall, but it is not guaranteed. The names of these have change since the past few years, presidential terms.
The above has been scrutinized by the Inspector General, but quietly announced to a great degree. Having past two years of Medicare history given to these organization as a result of visiting a doctor that had them offered this and them accepting into the DCE and ACO Reach, could possibly make thing better, but at times just the opposite.
This as I see it and some senators see this as part of invasive encroachment of Original Medicare to make it more like Medicare Advantage. So beware, ask questions. Do not sign anything without knowing if doctors are participating in these, that is unless you want to. Don't be pressured into signing anything is my last thought.
MT