Medicare health care in Tri cities area

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

The problem with the traveling is that it doesn't look like an issue until it is.

Ex needed a hip replacement due to complications from the treatments for her autoimmune disorders. Ballad had no interest in dealing with a hip replacement on a 25 year old with complicated autoimmune problems. She had to go to Vanderbilt. She was taken down there and brought back in medical transport.

That's 4.5 hours each way. Even a trip down there and back for an appointment is an all day ordeal - tiring for a healthy person. Now pile being unwell on top of the long trips. If you need assistance from someone else, then they have to be able to make the trip too.

My mother also has a hip issue and autoimmune problems. She's going to Knoxville. She has trouble getting around, so I've had to take off work a couple times to take her to the appointments.

I have sleep apnea. I'm being treated for that through a local non-Ballad provider. I need an ENT consult, but getting into a non-Ballad ENT is going to take awhile. I asked for a referral to an Asheville-based ENT, but the provider seemed confused that I was requesting an out-of-area referral, and wouldn't do it. That's the only local healthcare I have now, and I guess that'll need to be moved.

Also, there's the issue with medflights. For instance, some traumas and codes that used to be able to be handled in Kingsport have to go to Johnson City now. If you're too far out for an ambulance, you're out the $50k or so for the medflight. Those are generally not covered by regular insurance. If you live in a rural area, you might want to pick up insurance for that.

Yes, some of these problems are general healthcare issues - staffing is a problem basically everywhere, but a good bit of it are truly local issues caused by mismanagement.

Good point. And with the consolidation of most services and especially traumas to JCMC they appear to have a helicopter trigger finger. Of course, they own the medical transport service too. Amazing. Ka-ching.

[Lin19687]

Originally Posted by Beretta

That is off topic for this thread but I have medical transport insurance, too. Just google so you can find coverage in your specific area because it isn't one size fits all. We have a lifetime plan.

I didn't think it was off topic since it was still Medical. I have not moved down there yet and Here, we don't have insurance for that.

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by Lin19687

I didn't think it was off topic since it was still Medical. I have not moved down there yet and Here, we don't have insurance for that.

This thread is about medicare health care and not medical transport.