Obama Care

08/04/2012 | Tim Lilje

Well It had to happen. A friend of mine called me up and wanted to ask me a few healthcare questions. For background sake he is a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat whose daddy was a Democrat and his entire family only voted Democrat. I am an RN who works at a local MD owned Ambulatory Surgical Unit.

He started out asking me what types of blood tests he should get on Monday when he goes to his Primary Care Physician for his annual physical. I told him that the doctor will perform a routine battery of tests that screen for any problems. He asked me if he should have any other tests (for Cancer ect) besides the MD recommended ones. I said no because it did not make any economic sense to test for everything, just wait til the results of the screening tests came back and if there are any abnormal values, the doctor will order more specific tests for that particular result.

He stated he did not want to do this because the doctors office said he would have to pay for the other tests and that under Obama Care any routine tests should be covered. I told him that yes, certain preventative tests are done for free. I also told him that if his results came pack abnormal and required any further testing he would most likely have to pay for them if it is not covered by his insurance.

He started to become perturbed. He told me that his wife went to get a pap smear and had to pay for it and that this should be free but it wasn't. He then asked me what all this Obama Care stuff was about if you have to pay for it. I asked him if he had health Insurance. He said yes and I responded that since he has insurance he was going to have to pay his Co-Pay if any abnormal results showed up. I explained to him that this is the way that the law was written and that frankly he made too much money for the law to cover it. I said that if he was on medicaid or State indigent care the entire visit would be covered, and that somebody has to pay for them.

I had a dead silence on the other side of the phone and I could see his head exploding. I'll see him tomorrow and ask him how it is turning out.