$950 to see a doctor at KGH! Really?

[Captain Awesome]

If you still have coverage in QC, might be cheaper to fly there and visit a doctor.

[GordonH]

Check this out: http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/msp/infoben/index.html

[Always Sunny]

Put on your big-boy pants and deal with it.

You've got three months when moving provinces to apply. I agree, I don't buy that this has only come about over the last few days. And regardless, it's your responsibility.

Do you think that if you were in an accident an only "uninsured for a few days" that ICBC (or any insurance company) would give a sh*t? Of course not. There's no grace period for laziness.

If you still have coverage in QC, might be cheaper to fly there and visit a doctor.

Perfect.

[French Castanut]

Nice cartoon. Your point?
Yes, you were out of Province. So whose fault is that? god's
Your premiums were not paid for more than a month and you were cut off.
Yup. nop
Have we learned something here? I was insured with another province insurance's maybe?

Was no one picking up your mail for more than a month? why would they? ebilling
Did your heat and light also get cut off? of course. there's a mouse spinning beside my computer so I get electricity to talk to you
What other bills were neglected while you were away? bill 101, bill 78, bill 432, stephen harper's omnibus bill etc
Rent? Mortgage? tent in the woods
Phone? telegraph

[Libelle]

When my daughter was born I sent away here form for her to get her card card. She is under my care card until hers comes in the mail. For whatever reason it took almost 4 months to get it. After the cut off time she would be taken off my medical and I would have been charged for any medical services. I called them and said that I sent the form months ago as soon as I got it and the delay was because of their lack of processing my daughters medical and I refused to pay for any medical that she may need. They told me that I would be reimbursed, but that was not the point. It was not my fault as I sent the form in with in 2 weeks after my daughter was born. A week after I called them I finally got my daughters care card in the mail.

[GordonH]

According to link I gave earlier there is 3 Doctors accepting new patients

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[Roadster]

But you do use your medical care card every day, its there covering you every single day you have it active. You could lop off a finger making your breakfast tomorrow morning,,, you dont think you would be using medical coverage for that? You dont think you could get hit by a bus?

Wooops! You removed your post FC, now mine makes no sense.

[French Castanut]

Thanks for the link! This is very useful info I didn't know existed to find a doctor in the area.

[gardengirl]

When my daughter was born I sent away here form for her to get her card card. She is under my care card until hers comes in the mail. For whatever reason it took almost 4 months to get it. After the cut off time she would be taken off my medical and I would have been charged for any medical services. I called them and said that I sent the form months ago as soon as I got it and the delay was because of their lack of processing my daughters medical and I refused to pay for any medical that she may need. They told me that I would be reimbursed, but that was not the point. It was not my fault as I sent the form in with in 2 weeks after my daughter was born. A week after I called them I finally got my daughters care card in the mail.

He has already told us he "forgot" to pay.

[oneh2obabe]

Marcel is also accepting new patients.

Physician Search Results
Name: Lavanchy, Dr. Marcel Christian
Registration Status: Active, Practising
Class of Registration FULL
General/Family Practice
Business Address: Vintage View Medical
107-3500 Carrington Rd
Westbank, BC V4T 3C1
Canada
Phone: 250-452-6742

Accepting new patients *Yes

[GordonH]

I set mine up with automatic withdraw will never forget.

[French Castanut]

Well, it was nice to talk to all of you guys, I'm out for the night. Thanks to the ones who PM me and the ones who provided useful info, and for garden girl, I was late applying for the insurance, not late paying for it.

Have yourselves a wonderful evening, and happy shoveling tomorrow morning!

Now this thread can be about the cost of providing medical in BC, getting a family doctor, applying for medicare, getting ICBC insurance or ordering A&W.

I'd also like to interview the janitor to know what she have to say about hospital management profitability, costs & expenses, so if you get a hold of her, please send me a telegraph on my commodore64. I'll pay the bill once the pigeon brings it in.

[gardengirl]

So rather than being a couple of days late, you had 6 months?
Thanks for clearing that up.

[gardengirl]

Well, I have to see a doctor and I totally forgot to renew my medicare card so I'm without insurance right now for the past few days but I know I'm going to be retroactively charged for it when I get it.

I called the hospital to see how it would work payment side. I was transfered to 5 different people and had to call twice before I could get an answer to my simple question.

It actually sounded like this:


The nurse told me it will cost me $950 to see a basic doctor, and that medicare would probably not refund it. Then I asked if I would have to wait all night in the emergency room and she said probably yes.

WHAT? You have me pay 1000 bucks I want VIP treatment and nothing less. Like you know.. I expect 5 stars hotel service and free orange juice. Why should the dude that pays nothing go before me? And I know they will send me to get a scan so sky high bill here it comes.

Pfff I won't pay 100$ an hour to WAIT even if I'm dying. And how come the walk in clinic charges only $50 and the hospital $950???? WHat's worth so much difference. On top of getting a bill, you get everyone else's sicknesses.

No wonder the govt is that broke since that's what they pay to the hospital everytime one goes in according to the nurse.

Anyone knows if medicare will refund it? How that works?

The word RENEW implies you had coverage in BC before. Now it sounds like you never applied for it when you moved here.
So, as I said, you are uninsured. You had 6 months. You finally got cut off. Yup. That's how it works.

[dorito]

To answer the OP's orginal question....yes it costs a lot more to see a doctor in the EMERGENCY ROOM at KGH than a walk in clinic. Lets take a look at some of the reasons why:

An ER doctor is a specialist, not a general practitioner. They have higher fees for seeing patients as they are specially trained to deal with life or limb emergencies, trauma, medical emergencies like heart attack, stroke, etc.

If you need to be in the ER, you will encounter an admissions clerk, many nurses, take up a bed and bed space (which all has to be cleaned afterwards). You may get food, drinks etc. The doctor may see you, order some tests (which you do pay for separately) then see you again to go over test results. Or the ER doctor may save your life due to the acute trauma that brought you into the ER.

My life is worth $950....but I have current MSP coverage, so that is a moot point.

The point is...you use many services and require many different staff to attend to you while in the ER. Much more so than a walk in. If it is a true EMERGENCY then that $950 is used up within the first 15 minutes.

Be thankful for the skilled staff who attend to you.

I hope this helps....