Cost of Supplies????

13 years 1 month ago #36605 by jimswife
Replied by jimswife on topic Cost of Supplies????
MamaTrousch, Ck with best buy catheters company they are online and their prices are MUCH lower than what I paid at medical supply company. I assume with a neo you need straight caths. If so they are VERY reasonable there a lot less than your co pay with your insurance. Trust me I understand the issues with health insurance and copays. I am paying cobra right now and it is killer. But, it beats having no insurance. I do agree the supplies costs along with everything else surgery etc are all pretty outrageous. I didn't mean to get into a debate over medicare vs private insurance. Do understand since both Jim and I have been on private insurance for years and he finally got to medicare age. Meanwhile the bestbuycatheters are great and they don't accept insurance as they told me they are setup pricing wise for people who don't have insurance. If you do have ins they will send you an invoice to send to your insurance company for payment. It's worth a try. They have several different sections including ostomy supplies available so check them out. Hope this helps a lot of people out, it should.

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13 years 1 month ago #36603 by mamatrausch
Replied by mamatrausch on topic Cost of Supplies????
I'm with you Herb I just received my first 3 month supply of catheters from my medical supply co. They billed my insurance $9,900.
I couldnt believe it!!! My insurance paid $5,600 and I was responsible for $775.00
This works out to $7.41 a catheter.
This doesnt even cover my surgilube or saline solution yet thats another bill.
These medical supply co are indeed making a tidy profit. I called and talked to the owner he said my catheters costs more than most well I'm going to find another cath that works for me even if its not as good as the one I use now. I am 52
(no medicare) and I do not want my insurance to be dropped.
Wow It makes me think about all the people who dont have insurance or limited income. Maybe a supply bank where we could donate extra items for people on this site????
Julie

T1/G3-CIS 10-01-2010
10-27-2010-Indiana Pouch

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13 years 1 month ago #36599 by jimswife
Replied by jimswife on topic Cost of Supplies????
Hmmmm what sort of tape are you buying, Herb? If it's the pink extra tape that Jim uses sometimes I got some at the medical supply store here in town (and we live in a very expensive town in SW FL) for $8 per roll? Makes me wonder what sort of tape? Yes, the supplies are expensive and I am very grateful I did my homework when it came time to consider supplements to Jim's Medicare last yr when he went on it. We use plan F and it's very good. I wonder who you are ordering from? Maybe that's it the supplier. I do know that Jim needs to use Foley caths on his "innie stoma" for his IC and they are expensive and M'care won't pay for them because he doesn't have a bladder to catherize. Nope but he needs the fistula that connects his opening Innie into the IC he has or it can close. So, I went online seeking caths at a decent price and found best buy catheters and they shipped within 2 days at a very agreeable price of $1.13 per cath which are used once at appliance change time. The medical supply store charged me $14 per when I went there. Not gonna happen. The caths I purchased are sterile (Jim had several serious UTIs and I think it was due to home sterilzation of caths) and work well. We just purchase these and are grateful to the insurances we purchase..,.without them we probably would be bankrupt by now. His RC surgery/Hosp stau was billed out at over $100,000. WOW!!! We are blessed!

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13 years 1 month ago #36592 by Herb
Cost of Supplies???? was created by Herb
I wonder is anyone else bothered with the prices on your supplies, though mine are covered except when I have to yearly meet deductible --- but $25 for a roll of tape? It is easy to ignore since it is all paid for and having to use supplies not an option but Good Grief Charlie Brown ---- to me prices are rediculous ---- making a profit is one thing, saying well there is a limited market (which I sincerely doubt) doesn't work for me.

I am very blessed in having good medical insurance and have had great serrvice and great medical care --- I simply have always been bothered how we always over charge when there is insurance involved and then gripe when cost of insurance is so high --- my feelings started with car insuance many moons ago --- oh, your repair withut insurance $1,000 if you have insurance $2,000. Is there not something wrong here??

Age 72 had radical 9/11/10 have conduit everything is fine, grateful to be a cancer survivor. Lost Dad and Brother to Cancer both in their 50's.

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