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My experience with the wound Vac was that it
worked great initially but as the wound gets smaller all of the wound
measurements stayed the same for months. I had two wounds and had to take
iron pills daily. Going over some of my Medicare and HMO bills, the wound
vac company wants about $4000 a month from the insurance company. My
company settled for $1500 a month before they begginned their service with
me. It has been over a year and a half and I was told that my initial
co-pay was $29 a month. For a total period off and on for about nine
months, the wound vac people have charged me in excess of $1500 and I've talked
to the insurance company and they claim that they can't do anything about
that. Not only that, the wound vac company wrote me a complimentary letter
asking me to call or write my insurance company and Medicare and asked them if
they would please pay more because they believe that the negotiations was the
unfair. They feel that the insurance company is not paying him
enough. As high as my HMO premiums are, I believe I would not be so smart
if I was to call them and asked them to please pay the wound vac company more
money. So if you use in the wound vac, and if you have a co-pay, get that
in writing before you begin your treatment. My income is strictly social
security disability and they have me only $200 a month plan from a collection
agency.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, June 11, 2005 3:44
PM
Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] 2nd hosp trip and
advice needed
Hi Stacy,
I know you will win these battles and will be back as soon as you're
able. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Stay strong and
get yourself well and feeling better. You can do what it takes because
you have powerful energy.
With Love,
CtrlAltDel aka Dave C4/5 Complete - 29 Years Post Texas, USA
Stacy Harim <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:
Well I thought things were on the up and up and it turns out I had a
set back. My incision got infected. I had some drainage, I called the
doc and he sent me to the local ER since I had the surgery by him in Hopkins
2 and 1/2 hrs away. He told me they would open the incision and drain
it and made me aware that it was no big deal. It turned out to be a
big deal. I went and the local docs didn't want to touch me so they
arranged an ambulance ride back to Hopkins (actually bay view, an annex of
Hopkins). They opened my incision and hooked me up to a wound
vac. I was there for 3 days and 2 of the days were waiting
for medicare and medicaid to approve the wound vac and nursing care at
home. What a joke. They will pay for 2 extra days of
hospital stay but wont cover the wound vac and nursing care right away
to avoid the cost of being in a hospital. I honestly wish I knew that
it would be another hospital! stay, I would have done my bowel prep at home
b/c it was the night for me to do it b/c of course they never got a commode
chair for me. I ended up doing the bowel prep in bed and I had my
first accident since paralysis the day after I did the suppository. I
have to do my program on the commode for me to completely empty. I was
so mad b/c I was sitting up when it happened and now I fear a UTI b/c it got
around the catheter. (I still have the foley while stoma heals). I
hope I don�t get one but I get UTI's a lot. I also would have taken a
shower b/c I hadnt washed my hair in a couple of days and we all know that
we are not going to be offered a shower or given one when we ask b/c it
would just be too much work. I asked and they offered me the no rinse
shampoo cap to wash my hair and a basin of water to wash up.
UGH. Frustration has ultimately taken it's toll when the PA came in to
activate the stoma so I wouldn't have to go back up Mond! ay. She
filled my bladder through the foley and inserted the catheter through the
stoma and there weren't any results. I'm ready to freak out.
They said it could be there is still swelling and don�t worry we'll try
again in a week and it should work. I�m really worried about all of
this. This surgery has turned into a nightmare. The wound is
still quite large and deep. I'm looking at about a month of healing
time and praying the stoma works when I go back up at the end of next
week. does anyone have any words of wisdom with the wound vac and/or
the stoma. I'm worried on both accounts. I will be writing a
letter to the hospital about the commode situation. That is not an
issue, they will be hearing from me. Thanks in advance
Stacy
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- Re: [QUAD-L] 2nd hosp trip and advice needed tahouston
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