:angryfire I couldn't believe this one, but my true story here from last night brings a point home of why there are some problems with "the system"
This happened to me last night, no joke:
Background: I bicycle to work and back quite often for exercise, save on gasoline, etc. My employer carries decent insurance on me with $20/copay for office/urgent care ("doc in the box") visits.
Yesterday, I was peddling my bicycle home and was hit by a car. Thought not my fault, and the young (maybe 19 or so) driver just didn't see me, drove into me from a driveway in front of a fast food place, and I got splattered out in the middle of the road. The girls were VERY nice young ladies, and ironically, are going to be attending their year in the nursing program at the local college. They(driver and her passenger who saw me, and thought her friend/driver saw me) were crying, and all in all, it was just a sincere accident. I'm bruised up, but ice, antiinflammatories, rest, and I'll be okay. Bike was unridable and too broken after that, and the hood/bumper of the car broke my helmet. Maybe a mild concussion going on, but no LOC or concerning sx's in that regard.
Well, my point on this topic- I called my father (I carry a cell phone always except on the job) who was at his work, had him come pick me and the broken bike up and take me to my house. I decided it would be a good idea to go over to local urgent care/after hours clinic in town. I figured I have medical insurance, and the side of my body impacted is swollen/hurting, so getting checked out wouldn't be a bad idea considering what happened. I drove myself to the clinic. The lady at the urgent clinic says that because an automobile had been involved she couldn't accept my insurance and that they would need cash up front if I wanted to be seen. WTF, no way am I going to pay some exorbant amount to be told to take aleve, use ice, and do what I know to. I have concern of an orthopedic injury to the knee, but that's going to wait for my PCP Monday. The lady said I should go to the ER. I told that it seems like a rather huge waste of resources since I wasn't having a heart attack or something. I said "well if I bleed to death in my sleep, maybe you'll change your policies" I left, went home and just laid in a cool bath with ice packs on my hurt areas.
Scary incident, though I'm very thankful it was me and not some little kid that might have got killed or something.
Fortunately, though hurting, I'm okay considering, but rather disgusted at how they were encouraging me to waste resources at the local emergency room.
The girl at the urgent care clinic was right--you needed to be seen in the ER. Peeing blood? Splattered enough to crack your helmet and destroy your bike? Yeah, you needed the ER, Snowy.
I hope you let us know that you went! And how you are!
As to the insurance issue, those urgent care clinics are not equipped to track down and argue with lawyers, adjusters and auto insurance companies for their reimbursements. Your medical insurance would likely not have covered the care, because it arose from an accidental injury which was covered by something/somebody else. Just like if it was a work related injury.
She was right, you were wrong, but you were injured and can be forgiven.
BTW, at the ER, you would not have had a copay. The driver's insurance would have covered every niggling nickel.
I ma still in school and working a non-nursing job. Last week I hurt my knee on the job (work night shift for a shipping company). I did not think I was hurt enough to see the doc. The next night I went in to work and my knee started to kill me, they sent me home to ice. Called the manager later that morning and said my knee is better but I want to see a doc. He told me to come in at my normal time and we would to the paper work and I would see a doc. This is were I am stupid, I say ok and do so. OK I thought they would tell me to see the doc when they open (thinking they would send me to their doc) instead they drive me to the ER at 1130pm. OK i have been walking on this for 3 days and it is not killing me but I was not well enough to do my job, so I did not think I needed the ER much less someone to drive me their.
I've been having 10/10 pain all day and was pretty frightened when I peed blood. A closefriend who gets Rx's for generic soma and lortab brought me a coupe and they're helping get me though the pain part, but i'm increasingly concenned that maybe I should go to the ER and have some jerk 'treat and street' then have the balls to send a bill for them doing nothing *sigh*Maybe's i'm not thikcing clearly as norma. Gonna head down for now. nite nite
I have been thinking that you are in shock and not thinking clearly. I am only sorry that someone was not around to call an ambulance and transport you to an ER in a collar like you should have been. The enemy is not the ER physician, it is the insurance company that is going to use your failure to call police and seek immediate medical treatment as an excuse not to pay. It is shame the person who hit you did not call police, it is possible they might have broke the law. In Pa. the law says if there is any injury in any accident the police must be called. If an insurance company calls you do not minimize the situtation, do not admit any fault. Do not let them blame you for failure to call police or summon ambulance, the young person who hit you is grossly negligent for not doing so. You must do a better job of looking out for yourself than this in the future. If you have injuries that you don't know about you could suffer from them for years lose work and never collect a cent.
You need to wake up and go to the ER. It was indeed a "car wreck" and the girls' car insurance will pay all your expenses. And the other posters are right, the hospital has the resources necessary to:
A.) track down the car insurer and get their money from them and
B.) seek out and treat underlying problems that weren't immediately noticeable, such as the blood in urine thing!!! :uhoh21:
Please answer and let us know you went for treatment!!!!!!
Oramar, I must respectfully disagree with you. An injured person is the best person to determine how he feels and has a good idea of the extent of his injuries.
Distracting injuries can be more distracting than you think though. Good triage includes a gut feeling for sure, but you but if someone just doesn't feel right to me...I start looking for things...no matter how the MVA person tells me he "feels". I'd rather head down a pathway and be wrong...than ignore shoulder pain and have a spleen ruptured in the waiting room. Sure triage is incredibly individual and subtle, but I'm sure you get my point...sometimes MVA folks aren't your best resource or the best historians. We too get the folks that deny EMS, but show up later with a sore neck. They come in droves and I deeeep palpate them until I'm very satisfied that their pain is simply MS; you gotta be sure J
Go to the ER immediately. I too was hit (although by a commercial trucker-semi) and it was difficult to get them to pay, my ins pd and then they reimbursed me. Eventually, they paid for my bike (which all are not as the ins companies assume Wal-Mart huffies this was $$$). Unfortunately this is the way the system is setup now and you must deal with it. I was not hurt badly, but years later arthritis (big deal) could have been worse but PLEASE go and get checked out. I know you don't want anything you're not entitled too but just let them put you in the same condition you were before the accident.
You poor thing! You'd better call your dad to come take you over to the ER now, or call a taxi, or even 911. Never mind the money and insurance issue for now, though it is upsetting emotionally when money is demanded like that. I'd be angry too. You don't need the bother of it now. Let us know how you are when you're able to get back online. Hugs.
I thought I better 'check in' for all who read/responding here. The good news is the fact I'm healthy and healing up quickly. It's nice when your friends are medically oriented (in my case either LPN's, RN's, EMT's and Ski Patrollers("wilderness EMT's"). A few of them were pretty concerned after talking to me on the phone Saturday(2 dys ago) and then seeing how bruised up I was. I'm so lucky to have caring wonderful friends; yesterday, Sunday morning, they had arranged for me to be seen at a different Urgent Care center, called the doc at home, and able to do a couple xrays and treat there without running up a horrendous bill. Longer story and details than I feel up to writing at the moment, but I am doing as well as could be considering what happened.
I haven't needed any Rx painkiller this morning, but going agressive on alternating ice and heat, and OTC antiinflammatories of Ibuprofen. I'll try and post more updates another time. I'm going to lay down, continue to give my body the rest it needs, but just wanted to check in and let all know I'm doing pretty good overall, in good spirits!
It is great news indeed. You are mending well. Depending on your state's insurance laws you can submit BC/BS and then they will request subrogation...you'll get a form asking for the name of the other party's insurance. I would have been impoverished if I had to oop money for docs after my injury. BCBS was wonderful.
It was indeed a "car wreck" and the girls' car insurance will pay all your expenses. And the other posters are right, the hospital has the resources necessary to: 
chris_at_lucas_RN, RN
1,895 Posts
The girl at the urgent care clinic was right--you needed to be seen in the ER. Peeing blood? Splattered enough to crack your helmet and destroy your bike? Yeah, you needed the ER, Snowy.
I hope you let us know that you went! And how you are!
As to the insurance issue, those urgent care clinics are not equipped to track down and argue with lawyers, adjusters and auto insurance companies for their reimbursements. Your medical insurance would likely not have covered the care, because it arose from an accidental injury which was covered by something/somebody else. Just like if it was a work related injury.
She was right, you were wrong, but you were injured and can be forgiven.
BTW, at the ER, you would not have had a copay. The driver's insurance would have covered every niggling nickel.
Go, already!