A Tale of Heathcare

In the spring, I had the flu (for the third time that school year).  I was miserable and went to the doctor for something to get me through it.  I had a UTI.  I had been having a lot of them.  The nurse practitioner made an appointment for me to go to a urologist.  That took until August.  At that appointment, the nurse practitioner for the urologist signed me up for a cystoscopy and a CAT scan of bladder because I had blood in my urine, more than was normal.  (There's usually a little bit for most people, I have been told).

In early October I had those two tests.  Nothing was anatomical wrong, so I was sent for physical therapy for the pelvic floor.  I didn't at the time know there was such a thing.  That was helpful; I imagine I will be doing those PT exercises for a long time.  I changed some other habits; different way of consuming water, scheduling bathroom visits, no  iced tea or soda, putting my feet up.  They even massaged my bladder (painful but felt great afterward). I also take probiotics and cranberry.

I have better control and no UTIs.  My back is better, too.  I don't worry about it either.

So.  The CAT scan of my bladder cost me $1360.  The PT cost me over $800 out of pocket.  The urologist appointments, cystoscopy, etc. takes the cost well over $2500 and closer to $3000.  It's good to know there is nothing wrong with me, but this is absolutely the last time I let a minor problem escalate into such an expensive endeavor.

Don't I have insurance?  Yes, but I have a $4000 family deductible.  It mostly reduces the costs of what they are allowed to charge, but consequently only those reduced costs go toward the deductible, meaning I am unlikely to ever meet the deductible.  The drug portion and the wellness portion are better though, and I pay very little for my high deductible insurance.

Bottom line:  My GP says I'm quite healthy, there's nothing wrong with my bladder, and I had heart tests last year to show my heart is fine.  I am going to take care of myself and stop worrying.  Unless I have cancer, a broken bone, or a stroke/heart attack, I'm staying away from the medical establishment as much as possible and will not worry about relatively small things.  That was an expensive UTI. 

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