7 years! Wooot!

When I was sick a few years ago (8 years ago now!! Cancer-free for 7 years, babee!), I ended up paying something like $200 out of pocket and that was it. Considering all the tests, scans, radiation, and 2 surgeries? That rocked. I was truly very very lucky.

This is AWESOME on so many levels.

The penultimate day of my Aussie friend's stay here, she had to go to the ER with a kidney stone. (Yay for getting it BEFORE the 21 hour flight rather than during).

$6000.

And that was after she negotiated it down. Which I didn't know you could do, but she pointed out that she was a tourist. I just sent her the bills from the ER; hopefully her Oz insurance will cover a lot of it.

Yay cancer free!

I don't have many choices with my health care. We have one HMO plan through work, and it's 20/80 for surgical procedures (the most expensive, of course). The copays in network for normal doctor's visits and such are very reasonable, but nsm big stuff. Now I know.

As for the certification, it's completely voluntary. Teachers need state certification to teach in public schools (none needed for private schools), but the national certification is basically a big, expensive feather in your cap. Kat is certified as well, but we are rarities. I don't know what the numbers are now, but when I got certified in 2001, there were only 50,000 of us in the country.

And that was after she negotiated it down. Which I didn't know you could do, but she pointed out that she was a tourist. I just sent her the bills from the ER; hopefully her Oz insurance will cover a lot of it.

I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be covered under Medicare, being outside the country. I always get travel medical insurance for that reason, which should be pretty comprehensive. (I would especially do so for travelling to America, for I have been billed by American doctors before.)

I always get travel medical insurance for that reason, which should be pretty comprehensive.

She had this as well. I wouldn't have even thought of it.

She had this as well. I wouldn't have even thought of it.

That should be fine then, she should be covered for the bill (maybe a capped copay).

Cancer-free for 7 years, babee!

Yay! That's considered a cure, correct?

That's considered a cure, correct?

Past five years, the odds of recurrence drop significantly, anyway. (Go, ChiKat! Go, me!)

If I had to have surgery, I'd be out of pocket $3,000 plus. I am one of those people who has to buy her own insurance, and I had to go to a higher deductible plan this year or my monthly payment would have gone from $500 to $750. Most office visits and tests are set co-pays, but I pay 20% on things like surgery.

In my case, Kaiser's spent at least half a million on me, so I can't say I haven't gotten my money's worth.

Go team cancer free!