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My father was 78 when he had a mini stroke (TIA) in June 2008. We were at a family reunion in a rural area 20 miles from the nearest hospital. The ambulance ride cost $600. He had no private insurance, just Medicare. I, too, am on Medicare only (disability) so I did not have the financial means to help him at that time. Thankfully, he has since been able to obtain some private coverage.
Dad was taken to WFUBMC in Winston-Salem, NC. It's a fine hospital by reputation. Three of my father's cousins were physicians there over the years and many family members have gone there and received excellent care.
Dad was kept there for two days. Inexplicably, he came away with no diagnosis, no prescriptions; just a big :shrug: They had given him a CT scan and a steak for dinner on Father's Day. That's all. The bills started coming in. They totaled close to $9,000. He is paying a little on them as he can.
Fortunately, Dad recovered but he has not been quite the same since. He had another small episode just last month. He may have more. Through the grace of God we found a small clinic at home in Greensboro, NC, which in the last year gave him samples of his outrageously expensive BP medication, as long as he paid their nominal fee for two check-ups a year. This clinic is on a major thoroughfare in a plain white brick box that used to be a Hardee's. It has a sign over the door that says "General Medical Clinic."
The doctors, PAs and nurses at this clinic are doing the Lord's work. They take their time with each patient, so you usually wait a while to be seen. The waiting room is always packed with patients of all ages and races with every kind of medical problem. Some look like they are just making ends meet, others seem better off. No appointments. They do not turn anyone away. Whatever your native language, there is most likely someone on staff who speaks it. Because they are absolutely swamped with patients, they purge their files every three months and you have to start all over again as a new patient if you return 90 or more days later. Still, the credentials of the staff are outstanding. They keep up with all the latest medications and procedures and put Dad on a blood pressure medicine so new the pharmacy hadn't yet heard of it. They could be in private practice or working in large hospitals and bringing down huge salaries and driving Hummers, but the staff parking slots are filled with Hondas and Nissans.
Instead, they come to this anonymous little box and dispense quality care, give you sample meds to tide you over to your next SSI or SSDI check, and even make follow-up calls to see how you're doing!! If you can pay the $60 fee for a visit, they'll accept that. If you can't, they'll accept whatever you can pay. In its own way I feel the General Medical Clinic is quietly rebelling against the system, and giving those who need it thoughtful and effective health care and a sane alternative to going to the ER for primary or routine health services.
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