tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16659850.post653636718944716030..comments2024-03-17T03:42:21.277-05:00Comments on LEARNING CURVE ON THE ECLIPTIC: An Arty Farty Visit Twilighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14138621610593773784noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16659850.post-23675709483649086432016-09-16T23:56:12.568-05:002016-09-16T23:56:12.568-05:00mike (again) ~ Medicare is fine as long as there ...mike (again) ~ Medicare is fine as long as there are no big bills involved, the 20% co-pay remains reasonable. As you've proved, though, once the tests start racking up so do out of pocket expenses. I'm wondering if the NHS (at least in my day rather than right now) would have done quite as many tests, all at once. I don't know. Doctors here have to get their money where they can, I guess. They don't receive as huge sums from Medicare as from patients with expensive insurances. It's a business, to them, and it ought not to be! <br /><br />Anyway, I hope there'll be some encouraging news for you next week - $$$$ can wait - you gotta get well first! Twilighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14138621610593773784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16659850.post-69968458621737509452016-09-16T21:11:42.101-05:002016-09-16T21:11:42.101-05:00Well, honestly, Medicare is a pretty good deal! I...Well, honestly, Medicare is a pretty good deal! I pay $105 monthly premium for parts A & B. Medicare Part B covers doctor visits and diagnostics, and has a $166 per year deductible, with 20% co-pay thereafter. Most individuals on ACA (aka Obamacare) would be delighted with such a deal. The low-end Bronze and Silver ACA plans have $6,500 annual deductibles...yeowzers...and the monthly premium is about $550 per person.<br /><br />The gastroenterologist that I'm seeing sends all of his first-visit patients through a battery of diagnostics. I had a physical exam, six X-rays, full blood panel, and EKG, plus specific-to-me four sonograms of gall bladder, liver, and left & right kidneys. Two office visits as of today. I haven't seen the total bill yet, but I bet it's at least $4,000 as of today, and nearing $1,000 for my portion, perhaps well over that amount. Next week's upper GI series ain't gonna be cheap.<br /><br />Maybe it's the doctor more than Medicare...LOL.mike (again)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16659850.post-59254710507750786662016-09-16T13:36:39.761-05:002016-09-16T13:36:39.761-05:00mike (again) ~ Thanks for the update - one thing ...mike (again) ~ Thanks for the update - one thing off the list, but another to investigate. I do hope the doctor has prescribed something to ease pain and discomfort during waiting time.<br /><br />I understand your concerns about getting sucked in to the med. world. It's all very well for those with ample insurance cover. Medicare isn't the be all and end all many seem to think. It's some help, but nowhere near enough. Let's hope that the next set of tests will indicate some "at home" or out-patient treatment that's not horrendously expensive. <br /><br />The waiting time must be a pain in itself for you - it's the part I always hate.Twilighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14138621610593773784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16659850.post-19532087898873241272016-09-16T13:13:57.993-05:002016-09-16T13:13:57.993-05:00Yes, just back from the doctor appt. My gall blad...Yes, just back from the doctor appt. My gall bladder checks-out fine by ultrasound and X-ray. I have one liver enzyme that is very elevated. Doctor believes I have either stomach or upper GI ulcer. Appt next Thursday for upper GI series.<br /><br />I'm confused! My so-called gall bladder attacks have been just like the text book descriptions. I've had three in the past year, with this last one being very severe. It would seem that if I had an ulcer, I would have intermittent problems like indigestion, which I don't. I can eat anything without complaint.<br /><br />I'm becoming sucked-in to the medical world and I don't like it. Very expensive, as I only have straight Medicare. mike (again)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16659850.post-83476549655352010902016-09-16T10:53:19.633-05:002016-09-16T10:53:19.633-05:00mike ~ It was a surprising venue, yes! We ponder...mike ~ It was a surprising venue, yes! We pondered that, perhaps, some rich oil baron had enticed it to come to OKC. :-) We arrived before noon on a week day - it was quiet, we saw one group of schoolkids being herded around, and another about to be, but few individual viewers. The exhibition ends on 18 September - I guess most interested parties will have visited by now.<br /><br />I can't get into Matisse's paintings at all, even your fishy preference ;-) The only one of his coming near for me is "Icarus" - one of his later abstract style offerings.<br />http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/337069 <br /><br />The Chihuly exhibit seemed, to us, to have been reduced since our original visit several years ago - but is still amazing. We've also seen one of his installations in Columbus, Ohio when visiting anyjazz's younger son who lives there. That exhibit is/was in the open air placed in gardens among flowers, fountains, bushes etc. - absolutely breathtaking!<br /><br />O/T ~ Any health update yet? Any improvement?Twilighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14138621610593773784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16659850.post-55364828266884116742016-09-16T08:38:08.556-05:002016-09-16T08:38:08.556-05:00I'm often surprised by exhibit venues occurrin...I'm often surprised by exhibit venues occurring in cities seemingly atypical of the offerings, such as this exhibit in OK City. What an opportunity! I imagine the exhibit brought-in visitors from far and wide.<br /><br />Capricorn-Sun Matisse isn't one of my top-list, modernist painters, but there are several paintings I particularly enjoy. "Goldfish" is one of my favorites:<br />https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-1010/early-abstraction/fauvism-matisse/a/matisse-goldfish<br /><br />I had a small, framed print of "Goldfish" on my walls for many years, but lost to one of my relocations. I avidly collected original art and prints in my early adult years, but moved around too often to ensure their survival, leaving piece by piece to my friends as souvenirs of friendship. <br /><br />I've never seen Chihuly's glass sculptures in real-life, so that must be spectacular. I'm jealous...LOL.mikenoreply@blogger.com