Raising Funds for RKC. Contribute Now!!

TATE

AzB Gold Mensch
Silver Member
I also ride motorcycles. In August my buddy and I are flying to Denver and renting two BMW 1200 adventure bikes and riding up Pike's Peak. This kind of stuff scares me reading it, but it's good - because it helps the rest of us prepare for the possibility of an accident and tells us to always be alert, cautious, and do whatever you can to protect yourself.

Health Insurance for people who are 60 and employed is really expensive. I have had continuous health care coverage my whole adult life. Fortunately I own my own company and we pay for the premiums that way. If I were to do it out of pocket, a decent plan would cost me $1200 to $1500 per month. Like RKC, I have not used health insurance hardly at all my entire life. For me, it's been an expensive waste of money. However, my wife (who is younger than I am) has had heart issues. Her hospital bills would have been in the several hundreds of thousands in the last 4 or 5 years if she didn't have insurance.

Each person must decide on their own whether or not they want to purchase insurance. For me, personally I have always considered future financial security at being a priority in my life.
For you young people out there, my best advice is to always think about your future well being. When it comes to retirement accounts, careers, homes, marriage, insurance, your health, one day you will look back and say "wow, thank god I bought health insurance and started that retirement account, saved money for that house and worked hard at that job." That's who you want to be. Your future self will thank you and there will be fewer regrets. There will always be setbacks and disappointments, but always keep that future self in mind for every decision you make.

Glen, I know things will work out for you one way or another. You have skills and are a tough, hard working guy. I hope you look into what can be done as far as benefits.
 
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realkingcobra

Well-known member
Silver Member
I also ride motorcycles. In August my buddy and I are flying to Denver and renting two BMW 1200 adventure bikes and riding up Pike's Peak. This kind of stuff scares me reading it, but it's good - because it helps the rest of us prepare for the possibility of an accident and tells us to always be alert, cautious, and do whatever you can to protect yourself.

Health Insurance for people who are 60 and employed is really expensive. I have had continuous health care coverage my whole adult life. Fortunately I own my own company and we pay for the premiums that way. If I were to do it out of pocket, a decent plan would cost me $1200 to $1500 per month.

Like RKC, I have not used health insurance hardly at all my entire life. For me, it's been an expensive waste of money. However, my wife (who is younger than I am) has had heart issues. Her hospital bills would have been in the several hundreds of thousands in the last 4 or 5 years if she didn't have insurance.

Each person must decide on their own whether or not they want to purchase insurance. For me, personally I have always considered future financial security at being a priority in my life.
For you young people out there, my best advice is to always think about your future well being. When it comes to retirement accounts, careers, homes, marriage, insurance, your health, one day you will look back and say "wow, thank god I bought health insurance and started that retirement account, saved money for that house and worked hard at that job." That's who you want to be. Your future self will thank you and there will be fewer regrets. There will always be setbacks and disappointments, but always keep that future self in mind for every decision you make.

Glen, I know things will work out for you one way or another. You have skills and are a tough, hard working guy. I hope you look into what can be done as far as benefits.

Thank you tate, you hit the nail on the head when you mention being in your 60s. Don't matter if youre in perfect health, you're an age number in the health care industry that they don'tike because you're considered to be bad business bets, you're old, just like no one wants to hire you to start a new career in the working world, but thank god for senior discounts at the movies, hotels, and buffets....LOL I'm no longer responsible for anyone but myself, and no matter what, I'll always continue to do what i enjoy doing until i can't do it anymore. I still get a laugh out of some of the ppl here on AZ that think they can sit in judgement of other ppl like they really know something about them...LOL to clarify things so those people might think about what they're going to say next before they say it.... I've NEVER asked anyone for anything on AZB at ANY time, past, present.... or even in the future!
 

Bobkitty

I said: "Here kitty, kitty". Got this frown.
Gold Member
Silver Member
dennis
i just sent a contribution
get well soon glen

Thanks Larry,
I sure hope Glen can sign up with the VA and get some medical care that way. My original post remains true that Glen will be out and down while recovering from surgery on his knee. I hope people consider that and keep the contributions coming.
 

mchnhed

I Came, I Shot, I Choked
Silver Member
What if I'm a Vietnam era veteran of the army....for 9 years:rolleyes: anything else to say?
Glen,

Go to the VA and sign up.
I too am a Vietnam Era Vet and I am getting treatment.
There is no premium because it meets the health care insurance requirements.
I am Level 7 because I did no Combat Service, the war was over 1974-1978.
But I only have to pay $15 co-pay and $8 prescriptions with no annual.
You may get it free since you reenlisted once.

Please go.
You have the time now to do it.
 

Nostroke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
In case you have not kept up, a lot of folks have declined health insurance because of the Obamacare deductibles of $6k-8k-10. Many just choose to roll the dice. A travesty, yes.

ahahahaha- you can buy Health Insurance with almost any deductible and most times routine Dr visits, vaccinations and the like are still covered regardless of the deductible.
 

Bobkitty

I said: "Here kitty, kitty". Got this frown.
Gold Member
Silver Member
ahahahaha- you can buy Health Insurance with almost any deductible and most times routine Dr visits, vaccinations and the like are still covered regardless of the deductible.

That won't do much good for someone that needs a MRI and knee surgery. And he has no way to put food on the table while he's recuperating. He earns his living by setting up tables on the road.
 

Texdance

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks so much. I've set the goal at $10,000 and that might put a dent in one MRI and one knee operation. Please help me keep this thread at the top so everyone gets to see it. If only the people that got the best playing table in their state from Glen's know how and work will kick in a little, we'll easily surpass that.

Hospitals used to offer big discounts, say 50%, for uninsured people who can pay quick. Ten years ago a hospital gave me two or three days to pay $1800, which satisfied the bill for a $3600 MRI in full. Now I think they want their money before they do anything, because all they are legally required to do is stabilize the patient for transport.

In early April I was on a gurney in the ER, delirious from blood poisoning. Despite my delirium, they still sent around a nice lady with her wifi connected computer to collect something in advance of services. She had my credit card payment approved before I even saw a doctor.

The real scam perpetrated against the uninsured is the lack of so-called 'discounts' that Medicare and others get. They can charge twenty three grand to an uninsured person for the same procedure that costs $3600 total between insured and insurer.

Luckily I've got old enough to qualify for Medicare, so my six years of being uninsured have been over for awhile. Just last Friday the nice lady at hospital admissions said "Will you be paying cash, check, or credit card, sir... and went on without a breath to say "The total for your procedure today is $23,000.00"

Just then she saw my eyes were glazing over, and I looked over at my wife and her eyes were glazing over, too, and we both were about to go catatonic, maybe because we knew today's procedure was only half that needed to done, and we thought $23,000 was really bad, but only half as bad as $46,000 total, cash, check, or credit card...

But the nice admissions lady had been to this rodeo before, so she hurriedly continued, and very quickly continued to say:"But with the Medicare and hospital and doctor discounts, your total for today is $568, that's five-hundred-and-sixty-eight and some cents.." and since we pay 20%, the Medicare payment works out to another three grand or so.

So, if you can, which is sometimes impossible, try to at least have the worst insurance in the world, just to get those dramatic discounts.

My theory about those insurance discounts is that they are not real discounts, but a clever tool developed by insurers and hospitals and others just to punish people who for whatever reason do not to pay to play health insurance roulette. They also get huge windfall cash payments when they can, like frosting on the insurance cake. It also is a tool to make people think insurers get them a great deal with those so-called discounts, which are not real, because almost no one ever pays the full non-discounted price, except for a few unfortunate uninsured folks who have to work out a full-price payment plan, or run up a credit card with high interest, or sell their home or assets.

Best wishes, Glen and the rest, if your eyes haven't glazed over at this long post. I won't be sending any cash, because there are still hospital and doctor bills arriving in the mail every day, but I hope you get up and running soon without enduring too much pain, financial or otherwise.
 

Texdance

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Sorry but I have no sympathy for people who choose to not buy health ins. ..

If someone goes without health insurance and has a family, you can bet it is because they are not subsidised, or do not make the $25 - $30 per hour to have a thousand a month extra for health insurance.

That list might include: roofers, tree trimmers, the homeless, used car salesmen and women, short haul truck drivers, restaurant workers including waitresses, the temporarily unemployed, clerks at retail stores of every kind, bar tenders, most trades workers: plumbers, electricians, printers, construction workers, every roofer who ever swung a hammer, tree trimmers, yard workers, janitors, nurses aides, EMS technicians and ambulance drivers, interns,
...and, as we now see, some pool table technicians and even expert mechanics.
 

flyrv9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Several years ago a friend spent some time in the hospital for shoulder surgery. When he was presented with a huge bill, he walked down to the business office and requested an itemized bill that had the charges for every item, service or fee for his stay. After taking it home and marking it up he went back to the business office. The lady he saw said he was wasting his and their time because they don't make mistakes. He says "oh really?" "Then why do I have these few charges for sanitary napkins?" After seeing that she changed her attitude, and after going over every charge in question, reduced his bill a few grand. It doesn't appear insurance co's look at individual charges. They just adjust the bill via discounts and write offs.
 

Bobkitty

I said: "Here kitty, kitty". Got this frown.
Gold Member
Silver Member
Several years ago a friend spent some time in the hospital for shoulder surgery. When he was presented with a huge bill, he walked down to the business office and requested an itemized bill that had the charges for every item, service or fee for his stay. After taking it home and marking it up he went back to the business office. The lady he saw said he was wasting his and their time because they don't make mistakes. He says "oh really?" "Then why do I have these few charges for sanitary napkins?" After seeing that she changed her attitude, and after going over every charge in question, reduced his bill a few grand. It doesn't appear insurance co's look at individual charges. They just adjust the bill via discounts and write offs.

It pays to check the bill.
 

Str8PoolPlayer

“1966 500 SuperFast”
Silver Member
Let's keep the Ball rolling and get these funds raised.

Most of you know Glen Hancock as Real King Cobra on AZ Billiards. He's the one that's been traveling around the Country fixing tables and providing helpful advice on here for years. Glen had a terrible motorcycle accident a month ago and has been laid up and unable to earn a living. He's been unable to travel because his right knee is in need of an operation. Glen does not have medical insurance and he's got some really high medical bills pilling up. MRI's and corrective knee surgery soon.
I've started a contribution fund at https://myevent.com/RKC. I hope we can raise some money for Glen. Heaven knows he's done enough for us over the years.

PS, I've done this without Glen's knowledge.

Come on folks, please reach into your pockets and donate whatever can afford.
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
I have been treated for a serious leg injury in the Philippines (turned out to be nerve damage). The way it works there is you make a cash deposit when you check in, prior to being treated. In my case the deposit was 10,000 pesos (just over $200). I was first seen by an emergency room physician who referred me to a specialist. I was given all the usual tests (blood work, X-Rays) and some pain pills. I waited in the waiting room for about twenty minutes before the doctor came back and told me my problem was nerve damage in my lower leg. She gave me a prescription to fill and crutches. I was told to stay off my feet for a few days.

I went downstairs to the pharmacy and got my prescription filled and then was sent back to the cashiers window. I was told that I owed another 780 pesos (about $16-17) for my prescription meds and that was it. So all and all it cost me a little over $200 for treatment at the hospital (a good one in Manila). I was up and around in 2-3 days and it took about a week to be completely better.

So it is all pay as you go in the Philippines, but extremely inexpensive compared to what you would pay here. By the way the doctors and nurses are all well trained there, of equal competence to physicians here. That's why you see so many Filipina nurses working in hospitals here. It is reasons like this that make it attractive for foreigners to live there.
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have been treated for a serious leg injury in the Philippines (turned out to be nerve damage). The way it works there is you make a cash deposit when you check in, prior to being treated. In my case the deposit was 10,000 pesos (just over $200). I was first seen by an emergency room physician who referred me to a specialist. I was given all the usual tests (blood work, X-Rays) and some pain pills. I waited in the waiting room for about twenty minutes before the doctor came back and told me my problem was nerve damage in my lower leg. She gave me a prescription to fill and crutches. I was told to stay off my feet for a few days.

I went downstairs to the pharmacy and got my prescription filled and then was sent back to the cashiers window. I was told that I owed another 780 pesos (about $16-17) for my prescription meds and that was it. So all and all it cost me a little over $200 for treatment at the hospital (a good one in Manila). I was up and around in 2-3 days and it took about a week to be completely better.

So it is all pay as you go in the Philippines, but extremely inexpensive compared to what you would pay here. By the way the doctors and nurses are all well trained there, of equal competence to physicians here. That's why you see so many Filipina nurses working in hospitals here. It is reasons like this that make it attractive for foreigners to live there.
Efren-care vs. Obama-care. I'll take the Pinoy version hands down.
 
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