So I Was Watching House Tonight, And I Thought To Myself: These Are The Luckiest Patients EVER!

[BlooInBloo]

I mean, they do test after test after test after test - almost all of them just on GUESSES. I never hear about how the patient's insurance company won't cover this or that procedure.

And then these patients get like 10-15 doctors working on them! Amazing!

And then it's EVERY patient that has this coverage - wow!

Does there actually exist health coverage that would result in treatment like House's patients get?

(I completely understand fun > realism for teevee, of course - it was just a funny thought.)

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. It's crazy, isn't it? Grey's Anatomy had a more realistic story.

Kid with unexplained pains. Diagnosed as growing pains. Sent home with painkillers and the standard "come back if... " Kid comes back, spinal tap is negative, Xrays are negative, hospital brass won't let pediatrician order a 4D MRI because there's nothing to "go on"... Kid sent home with more painkillers. Kid comes back, mom in tears, admin still says no to MRI. Doctor sends patient to another hospital (where her girlfriend works and is an attending and can order such things). MRI comes back showing the problem, which was a tethered spinal cord.

I know it's just a show but it had me in tears, because it really happens.

[jgraz]

2. The guy was a wealthy game developer

There were strong indications that he was paying for his treatment out-of-pocket.

It is getting harder and harder to watch any medical show and not think about the nightmare reality that they're ignoring.

[rucky]

3. They're doing a mid-season spinoff...

Following former patients to the cardiologist after they get the bill from Princeton-Plainsboro.

[paulsby]

4. my insurance has been excellent

at one point, my GP ran a metric assload of tests, sent me to two specialists, etc. without any prob from my insurance co.

and due to a different issue,i am currently on disability , going to physical therapy twice a week, massage twice a week, chiro once a week, etc. all the surgery, MRI, and these appointments are free and no hassle

i've posted before on them. they are simply excellent. but my employer does pay a LOT for this insurance

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. It would make for a great storyline to have a patient whose insurance kept shooting down the

possible tests.

[BlooInBloo]

6. It TOTALLY would! Where the House team has to come up with tests...

that the insurance company would actually pay for, and that would also be helpful!

That's a great storyline idea!

[ScreamingMeemie]

7. That happened on Grey's last week. Insurance wouldn't pay for

a 4D MRI and the hospital wouldn't approve it.

[glowing]

10. I don't think the kid had insurance? Or was I wrong? I thought he was in their "clinic" side of

the hospital.. maybe not.. Honestly, the push by the doc to get the tests allowed for the kid to live a pain free life.. otherwise, he would be a pre-existing condition his entire life and be strung out on pain meds and probably on disability since he would collapse from the pain. It was more realistic of our modern system.. and then at the end of the show, they were merging hospitals, cutting staff and docs to save money. This means more stressed out docs and nurses competing for their jobs... it means less resources and fewer hospital beds. I would assume that the merging was to cut down on expenses on both hospitals.. Also, reducing the competition and second opinion within the system of the private hospital industry our Greatest Healthcare Nation has.

[ScreamingMeemie]

13. I'm pretty sure his insurance denied it on the show.

I really think Grey's is going to pick up the baton from ER in addressing the health care problems faced by "normal" people.

[bbinacan]

8. Don't you think you are

generalizing too much?

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. It's TV. They write all kinds of out there storylines. Insurance refusals would hardly

be the wackiest or most unrealistic one, even if it was considered to be generalized to some extent.

[Odin2005]

11. And House being the hero by doing them anyway, LOL!

:evilgrin:

[TexasObserver]

12. Recommend. If only patients got looked at so closely.

[madokie]

14. I've not watched it but isn't that all bullshit

something made in hollywood for the sheeple to take in
wtf