In two weeks, I will be "graduating" from four and a half months of physical therapy on my injured left rotator cuff. I knew at the outset that it would be a bit of a marathon to complete the healing of it, but I had no idea that it would take so long. However, at this week's PT session, Chet, my physical therapist, informed me that my next session in two weeks would be my last and that I would be one of his "graduates" from PT. I'm intensely grateful to him for all that he has done for me over these many long months. When I first started seeing him, I was wearing winter attire and boots and now, sandals and T-shirts and I have a nice summer tan going. He's seen me through a pretty chaotic several months of my life as I continue to adjust to being retired and all that entails. Unfortunately, I am now facing mounting medical bills as a result of this stint in rehab, since my current insurance does not cover physical therapy until you meet your $850 deductible, at which time I am still responsible for 20% of the cost of it. My old insurance covered PT like a doctor appointment, a $20 co-pay per session. I could have afforded that easily, but this new insurance seems hostile to patients even using it in the first place and makes the patient pick up huge costs out of pocket as a way to discourage us from having to access medical care. I probably could have dealt with the shoulder on my own and probably just could have gotten a cortisone shot from my primary care physician along with a home care regimen to follow, but having a professional PT to guide me through this and monitor my progress to see how I feel each week has been really fantastic. When I've had setbacks, he's pulled back on my exercise regimen until I felt better and when I have been doing really well, he's ramped things up to push me forward. I've felt better knowing that I've been in good professional hands and while in a way I am sad to be finishing, I am also glad because I just can't keep mounting up the cost of it.
At this stage of things, I am attempting to find a way to finance it in order to make it affordable via monthly payments. I need to sit down and discuss this with them to find out just what they will accept in the way of payments from me that won't break me financially, I have no retirement savings and must get by on my rather small pension. It's such a shame that in recent years, insurance companies are pulling back from paying for medical care and asking patients to have more financial skin in the game. They ask us to "shop around" for the best value in medical care, but my answer to that is, when was the last time that you saw a price menu in either your doctor's office or a hospital? If this is the way that health care is going to run from now on, please provide me with a menu of services and prices so that I can pick and choose what I want to pay for and how much. Otherwise, this whole notion of "shopping for the best value for your health care dollar" is a moot point. You do not know how much things cost until you get your EOB from your health insurance company. They should also provide a cost menu to provide consumers a list of what they will cover, how much they will pay each provider for what service so that consumers then can shop around and know what the best value is for your health care dollar. If, for example, I knew what each of my doctors would cost to see, how much they billed the insurance for and how much my responsibility was
before I walked in the door, I could then know which doctors rip off patients and which ones should compete for my business. The same with a hospital. Tell me up front what your costs are so that you can vie for my business, otherwise, forget it. If Republicans want providers to compete for consumers business (which is their solution, always have the private market compete for business from consumers), then give us an up front cost menu to let us shop around for the best value in health care. However, it seems to me that competition does not necessarily drive down prices in my experience, but this is Republican thinking that markets determine prices. Well, in their dreams, I say. But at least they seem to be less and less in favor of insurance company control of health care, which limits choice, amount and type of care, so that's one area on which we may be able to strike some common ground and find an adequate solution to the problems we face in health care these days.
This is my very kind, compassionate and ever patient physical therapist, Chet. I also found out what the initials "CSCS" on his business card stand for, "certified strength and conditioning specialist". As I wrap up four and a half months of physical therapy on my shoulder with him as my guide to heal up, I am wondering if I can find some way to work with him on a post-rehab injury prevention/stretching and strength regimen. My former physical therapist, Jason, did, for a very short time, run a strength and conditioning business until it went bust during the Great Recession. After a few stints in PT with him, I decided that it might be in my best interest to work with him on a similar regimen. I got in really good shape working out with him, but the business could not survive the combination of the recession and two of the partners pulling out of it. So it was sold to some guy who did nothing to maintain the business and keep it going (I was given to understand that he had a drinking problem), so it eventually closed and became an indoor baseball practice facility for winter baseball training. At least that's what it seemed to be the last time I drove by and peered into the windows, and that was a long time ago now. Not sure what it is now or whether that business survived. Jason is now super busy with his High School teaching and coaching jobs of various local teams as well as the Strength and Conditioning Club at the High School, so I am going to look to Chet to see if he can at least advise me on a good post PT regimen and maybe do some work with me, given that I am 57 years old and no youngster. I know some exercises that we did when I was working with Jason, but right now, as far as any upper body work goes, I have to be careful, given my newly mended shoulder. I don't want to do anything that could re-injure it. That's where I need Chet to help me to find the right level of exercise to keep it healthy over the long run so it doesn't get hurt again. I'm having some back problems lately as well that I need to talk to him about when I see him for the last time in two weeks. What a long journey this has been, but I have found the doctor and PT with whom I want to work from now on when and if I get hurt again. I made the right decision when I decided to see a doctor of physical medicine and rehabilitation instead of an orthopaedic surgeon. I got the best PT that anyone could ask for, and hopefully a new friend in the process. I'm extremely grateful for all of his kindness, care, patience and good humor over the long tough months of rehab. One part of the journey is over, and another one is just beginning.
No comments:
Post a Comment