[QUOTE=tatertim;679976]Well I think the way my situation was handled was due to it being covered under Workers Compensation. they were awful...for example, when the DVT was discovered in my leg at the ER, the ER doctor wanted to admit me, but had to call the doctor's office I was being treated by, and the next thing I knew I was on my way home. and there I sat, for FOUR DAYS, before they sent me to a vascular surgeon. Then, when the vascular surgeon prescribed the blood thinners, WC took three days to approve the medication simply because of the cost of the meds. So in all, SEVEN days went by from initial diagnosis to beginning treatment.

What is this that you speak of with Allen? Fill me in please.[/QUO

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I can't believe what I here about W/C cases and how horrible they are. I do independant bookkeeping for 2 clients and I see the cost of W/C insurance it's so high. For example a small business but profitable with 8 employees cost over $4000.00 a year. Yet they don't want pay out on claims it really boggles my mind.

Wish you the best..

Gabbycakes

[QUOTE=gabbycakes;680775]My understanding is that WC companies have to have money in "reserves" to cover claims. A surgical lower back disc surgery might cost $100K or more, cheap compared to a RSD/CRPS case! That does not even include future medical costs for the life of the patient.

I am not justifying the carriers charges but I do as an employer and prior evaluator, understand that while many employers will not have many claims, when they do occur, they are expensive!

[QUOTE=Dubious;680830]My client has been in business 25 years and we have never had a W/C Claim in all those years. The rough math for preiums over 25 years = $100,000.00 and that's just one small company. Of course the charge have gone up so let's take $30,000.00 off, so it's $70,000.00 rough. W/C insurance prices are calulated by the dollar amount of your payroll and the number of employess. So just imagine a large company like Wal-Mart who employess thousands or many thousands. Sorry, W/C Insurance Companies are earning tons of profits and just working on the basis pay as least as you can and fight the claimant until they give up...

[QUOTE=gabbycakes;680865]I certainly am not an insurance company apologist, but you just made my point! One low back surgery claim over the last 25yrs and 4 employees, not unlikely odds, would cost well over $100k for surgery not to mention a disability settlement that could reach the same and then future medical care for life (ave. age of a disc patient is around 40), say another 25 years, might be another $50-$100k, or more. And if revision surgery was necessary.....

So while I again, am no advocate for that industry, I can understand that one claim, as above, may generate medical costs of $200-300K+ over the life of the claim, compared to the $70k for 25 yrs of premiums. So the cost to insure 4 for 25 yrs, is a fraction of what the employer would be responsible for (personally, if he carried no WC insurance) in the above scenario, just for one employee; one injury!

It is rather moot, though, as I am sure that all states mandate that all employers carry WC insurance.

I am totally with you! I do agree as an employer, it is crazy what we must spend for WC premiums!

Well in my case, Workers Comp rushed to settle my claim, but refused anything that wasn't a full release...almost like they knew that something major was wrong with me and wanted to get out before I realized it. But I digress...

Getting back to my health, I had my initial visit with my new Ortho today. He was a total jerk, no bedside manner at all, but I'm not seeing him for a friendship after all. After jerking my knee around and grilling me interrogation-style (with the help of two interns) he proceeds to tell me, as every other doctor initially says, that he finds it hard to believe that I've been diagnosed with Post Thrombotic Syndrome, Patellar Femoral Syndrome, Grade III Chondromalacia, and then tells me that it's (the PTS) an old person's disease, and I'm too young and fit to have it. I had a fresh set of X rays done today too, and after inspecting them he says that they "support an RSD diagnosis"...crap. I mean how does an x ray help diagnose RSD?

I have an MRI and bone scan pending sometime in the next 2 weeks. I'm kinda iffy on the bone scan, I mean it can't be good to pump you full of radioactive isotopes, can it? (FEEL FREE TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER ABOUT THIS!!!)

Will keep you guys posted, ALL OF YOU ARE THE ABSOLUTE BEST!!

God bless,

Tim

[QUOTE=Dubious;680946]I think we agree on most but you kind of made my point,2 small companies 1 claim. We agree the premiums are high but like I said what about a company like Wal-Mart that employees thousands and has 500 claim out of 20,000 employees, just an example. My business believe with insurance companies are that if they are not making BIG PROFITS they are not going to be in the insurance business.

Hi Tim,

I never went through any of these test for RSD i.e bone scans, MRI's, e-rays etc to dx. my RSD. I feel I got RSD right after my first surgery I did have a lot of those test for the inquiry. I was fighting saving my arm and trying to get the rsd under control, it was a real balance for my doctors. When I finally found doctors who would work with me, I went around for about 3 weeks without any doctor and none that we even see me due to the difficulty of my case. Finally I found a pain doctor first and just by the look and symtoms of the arm he told me I had RSD after just sitting there for 5 minutes. Then he introduced me to a surgeon and both worked together for like 3-4 years to get me put back together without making the RSD worse. Sorry to ramble. Anyway I would ask my pain doctor how can you just tell my looking. He explained the over grown nails on the one hand, the extreme growth of hair on the one arm, discoloration of the arm oh let's not forget the pain and at that time you couldn't even touch me. He also explained that the way to really tell is to start with a procedure and see if it works. The first procedure I had was a Stellate Gaglion Block and yes it did work. But we all know that only last for a couple of weeks or month. I had to have many surgeries which ofcourse made me worse but they told me that. They just went through this balance routine for a while as I said. I truly believe it was the PM doctor who was able to get me to as normal as I am going to get and ofcourse my surgeon was incredible also. But each surgery was a major production because of the blocks I had to have just prior, they always used ketamine as part of the anesthetic cocktail. Once my surgeon came out while I was waiting to go into the OR and said we are running late because DR....... wants you to have ketamine while having this surgery, he joked "it's like killing a fly with a sledge hammer" but he new what he was doing.

Maybe question some of these test and what they are suppose to determine. I have learned that the medical industry is no different from any other business it all about dollars. Even the best of the best yes they do a incredible job but they want to make money. Good luck....Keep the faith..

Gabbycakes

Oh Noooooooooooooooo I go for my first EMG later this month on the 16th & I am NOT looking forward to it at all. YIKES!!!

And btw, I have had it since 03 unless it turns out I have entrapped nerves in both feet........*sighing* I am so scared to have surgery though. After what I went thru last June after back surgery......I am scared to death. I have had 13 surgeries & I have never in my life been scared to have surgery until now........because of the 13th surgery.

DebbyV

I just find it so sad that our condition and it's discovery process has to revolve around the almighty dollar amount..We all understand the depth of our pain and our future with it and no dollar amount can substantiate that..

Sleep well all...

Hugz, Kathy

I don't want to scare you, but my EMG was one of the worst experiences of my life. On the day that I had it my leg was really dry and scaly, so the adhesive to the electrodes wouldn't stick and they came out with a inconclusive results...the next one was still inconclusive and I refused to have a third one. It hurt soooo bad and you could just look at my leg and see the mottling and swelling, hair growth..the whole nine yards.....

I got my diagnosis by process of elimination because I was born with Cerebral Palsy and they thought all the symptoms came from that. My RSD started after a bout with a serious internal MRSA infection. It took over a year and a half and about 5 neurologists until my PM doc just tooj one look and said beyond a doubt I had RSD. I was treated like crap until I found him and and he works along side of my GP and they are starting to get it right after 2 years. I am in the process of getting SSDI and I am waiting for my date for the judge.

In the meantime while trying to get my diagnosis my RSD has been spreading, so each appt for SSDI I have a new symptom....I almost have my med "cocktail" figured out so that I can function as a wife and mother and a new grandma. This is the only thing that I have been asking for. I know that I can't work my job as an autism mentor, which I have been doing for 24 years, but I try to stay positive and try to find out what it is that will make me learn to live with this crazy disorder.

Good Luck with the EMG and I hope it goes better than mine
God Bless,
Cindi