The Damage

[honkerman]

Here's the grand total to fix the scoot...not bad really, but it's gonna have to wait...i have a feeling the grand total to fix me is going to be a more substantial sum.

[Mel46]

Sounds a lot like our accident. Insurance gave us $1300 each for repairs on our bikes. Counting the new windshield, which was $168 for the tall Givi, I spent around $350 per bike. However, my wife's medical bills have hit $74,000 so far, and she still has Physical Therapy. The bikes came out ahead on this one. I have almost completed repairs on both bikes, but she won't be able to ride for another 6 months. For those thinking that accidents only happen to the foolish, be prepared. The fools are in the cars you are trying to avoid.

[you you]

Sounds a lot like our accident. Insurance gave us $1300 each for repairs on our bikes. Counting the new windshield, which was $168 for the tall Givi, I spent around $350 per bike. However, my wife's medical bills have hit $74,000 so far, and she still has Physical Therapy. The bikes came out ahead on this one. I have almost completed repairs on both bikes, but she won't be able to ride for another 6 months. For those thinking that accidents only happen to the foolish, be prepared. The fools are in the cars you are trying to avoid.

$74k!!

[Simon0867]

Wow, £74k. Really makes you grateful for the NHS over here, it may not be perfect but I wouldn't want a bill like that adding to my worries.

[fish]

Wow, £74k. Really makes you grateful for the NHS over here, it may not be perfect but I wouldn't want a bill like that adding to my worries.

You've no idea. That is a very modest medical bill in the States.
My employer pays $1200 a month for my insurance. ...which only covers 90% of the premium and the med. bills.
Wonderful system.
Fish

[iceman]

In the UK the part of the national insurance that goes towards our NHS is about %2 of a large part of people salaries, probably about £1300/yr on average per person.

[WhiteNoise]

Doctoring here and associated costs WILL Get You Sick here. I'm beginning to think that that, is the idea. Horrible!
Sorry Mel, I hope you make ends meet even with the help of your so-called insurance (aid?)
Yep, I'm gonna say it! "Bah Humbug" ya Sons of B____'s!

[JohnL]

The medical lobby in the States really has you by the cort and shurlies doesn't it

[Mel46]

We don't have insurance. However, we do have a lawyer.

[kramnala58]

The medical system in the US is messed up. In my opinion mainly because of two things: 1) Too much administration and management levels. 2) Too much litigation, resulting in astronomical liability insurance premiums to be taken on by the medical professionals.

I spent last night in a hospital which is on par with Johns Hopkins in the US (world class). They put me through a battery of tests (blood, chest x-ray, fluids, eye exam, EKG and others), and involved 2 consultations with a gastroenterologist. In addition to that, I was put on an IV drip for 24 hours, including 3 rounds of IV antibiotic. The total cost was slightly under $1,500.

I have also had 2 major surgeries at the same hospital (shoulder and abdominal hernia). The shoulder cost just under $7,500 with 4 nights in the hospital. The hernia cost just over $9,000 with 5 nights stay.

The hospital is so trusted that insurance companies from all over Asia and as far away as Africa send their clients here.

If care like that can be given at those prices, there is no reason in the world for the prices in the US. I used to live there and can attest to the prices (had a 1½ hour emergency room visit that cost over $900), but in my mind it is corporate gouging and mismanagement for the most part.

[you you]

We don't have insurance. However, we do have a lawyer.

Are they cheap in North America?

[DailyRider]

We don't have insurance. However, we do have a lawyer.

Are they cheap in North America?

Often they work on spec for a percent of the award,
but that doesn't make them cheap.

[you you]

We don't have insurance. However, we do have a lawyer.

Are they cheap in North America?

Often they work on spec for a percent of the award,
but that doesn't make them cheap.

No, they'll be part of the $74k too one way or another I suspect. Sometimes I wonder how you lot manage to wipe your own backsides.

[Mel46]

If there were any way to not involve an attorney we would do it. Because we did not run into the middle of the headon collision our own insurance had to handle the injuries, even though we had the choice of run into the middle of the accident or dump our bikes to keep from being killed. Well, our insurance has a clause in it that limits it if you don't hit anyone or any other vehicle. That limit was $2,000. Emergency room alone was $7,000. Soooo if we had not tried to avoid the accident our insurance would pay $50,000 worth of medical...but we would have died. What a choice.

[DailyRider]

Oh, that is maddening!

[you you]

If there were any way to not involve an attorney we would do it. Because we did not run into the middle of the headon collision our own insurance had to handle the injuries, even though we had the choice of run into the middle of the accident or dump our bikes to keep from being killed. Well, our insurance has a clause in it that limits it if you don't hit anyone or any other vehicle. That limit was $2,000. Emergency room alone was $7,000. Soooo if we had not tried to avoid the accident our insurance would pay $50,000 worth of medical...but we would have died. What a choice.

Hobson's

[honkerman]

The medical system in the US is messed up. In my opinion mainly because of two things: 1) Too much administration and management levels. 2) Too much litigation, resulting in astronomical liability insurance premiums to be taken on by the medical professionals.

All that administration comes back to the insurance industry. I had a friend with a private practice. He had to close it because malpractice insurance was taking over 70% of his profits. Add to that, Over the last six years or so, insurance costs have doubled or worse for most folks.

My grandpa was a country Doctor. He often received payment in goods or services, but the insurance companyies lobbied to make that illegal since they couldn't benefit from it. These days, private practices are few and far between and those that used to be, have been swallowed up by mega-healthcare groups.

I'm going to stop now because I can go no further without going into a political rant.

[Mel46]

You definitely speak the truth on that. I have a few family friends who were private practice family doctors, but they were driven out of business by the mega hospital corps and the insurance companies. All that money spent on medical school and they were boxed in by big business. One of them actually worked as a rural doctor in the poorer parts of the South (the Southern states in the USA, where slavery existed until after the Civil War but now has a lot of poverty). Eventually he had to join a large group practice in order to afford insurance. It kind of sucks to be a doctor now if you only want to help the poor. Welcome to modern medicine.

[you you]

You definitely speak the truth on that. I have a few family friends who were private practice family doctors, but they were driven out of business by the mega hospital corps and the insurance companies. All that money spent on medical school and they were boxed in by big business. One of them actually worked as a rural doctor in the poorer parts of the South (the Southern states in the USA, where slavery existed until after the Civil War but now has a lot of poverty). Eventually he had to join a large group practice in order to afford insurance. It kind of sucks to be a doctor now if you only want to help the poor. Welcome to modern medicine.

Modern medicine in your country.

[JohnL]

In Australia, we are fighting against a push by big medicine to go down the US path, mainly led by our Liberal "Open for Business" Government. Hopefully we, the public will win, if common sense prevails.