Brandon

I "was" paying less for it prior the ACA?????

Pass a test to vote. The dems would never get elected... LOLZZZZZ - They wouldnt find "free" in the answer bank.

you don't know idiot. i concur crossfit is "trendy" , and easy to fatigue and injure...its very explosive. Go to metro fitness in worthington

2500

So if you are in private practice...You as the private practice doctor do not control any pricing at all, not one ounce? Maybe in a corporate practice with trinity or whom ever, yes billing handles all of this. You get to focus on you're part, the health care which is good. Obviously in your shoes as a ortho surgeon your procedures are costly...And of course your billing dept meets with the patient to go over a 10k service to insure they are shielding themselves from potential risk of non payment. However how can their be a cash price, and insurance price? Why are they not the same? Discount for cash went out the window quite some time ago it seems. Honestly I don't care if I talk to a doc about payment or their billing, so long as its accurate and truthful; likely you're right, you as KirkOh surgeon focus on surgery that is your JOB, and Molly in billing focus on billing that is her JOB. My point is consistency...Seems there would be a lot less "free loaders" if people knew what things really cost, and had a choice...I suppose I give to much faith to the free loaders. Maybe this would just help the hard on your luck folks. Maybe you're right, maybe I have a chip on my shoulder...History serves me this. Another example. More relative to your field. I am a very active guy, and rather fit, in fact I am probably one of the healthiest members on this forum (sorry fellas GET ON MA LEVEL lolz). I play soccer, mt bike, rd bike, tri athlete, lift training, pump in run top 15 at the Arnold ect. Now I do occasionally tear and ACL and have ankle injuries. I will make this shorter, go to ortho on what I thought was a broken ankle, holy cow it was black and blue everywhere and as big as I have ever had a sprained ankle (normally I wouldn't go in for a sprain had to many, same outcome 3-6 weeks). Go in get x ray - neg - grade 2-3. Doc says take this brace, it will help. Cool. How much is the brace? Don't know Ill get the chic to find out. Cool. Chic comes in, says she will just bill my insurance. I say, well then give me the billing cost for the insurance, I know my insurer only covers 60% (due to prior events)... Comes back literally 25 minutes later, says this fancy ASO brace deal is 680 dollars... This is what we will bill the insurance. OKAY this brace is made from endangered sheep in wales then...Best part I have the brace sitting next to me, I use amazon price scanner, scan the UPC, low and behold I can buy it online ALL OVER the place for 80 dollars...same brace. Politely I refuse the brace and ordered one sitting there from my phone. I could have been like every other idiot patient walked off with the brace, and then called in 3 weeks later pissed off I now owe you 272 dollars (which I had but I am sure others don't) for the 40% I didn't know was covered. How is it right to bill these prices? More pork for the free loaders I suppose...Like I mentioned, Doc's put in LOTS of work, LOTS of time to get a return at 40 for great income. They are very much worth the wages, however it seems the costs of things if opened up, would be much better regulated and fair, and maybe even reduce non payments.

That whole cash vs. insurance thing at the offices really irks me to.... Why is it you can bill and insurance company 4x,10x what you would (Doc. Office) would quote the cash payers??? Do doctors feel all warm and cuddly inside when they "strike" a cash deal vs waiting 30-60 days on the insurance check they charged 4x for? Simple example, I go in to have and in grown facial hair removed at my Dermo. I ask them what the insurance code is for this service...He says he cant give that to me at first, I say "good I cant give you my insurance info or money then"... Dermo then gets nurse, pulls codes gives me the code. I bust out my cell, call my insurance company in front of him, they cover 80% (during the call he had a just dumbfounded look). I then ask, what will be the billing cost of the code, he said do you want a cash price or insurance cost...I chuckle, and say come again. Dermo says well I can quote you a cash payment plan or we will just bill your insurance. I said how about you quote me the cost you will charge me, it should be the same for my insurance and my cash, both are payment forms you receive; and I will determine if I choose you for my service. He claims its not that easy...IN GROWN HAIR COME THE FUCK ON, you gave me the codes you planned to bill I know there could be a small buffer once you cut my cheek open, but you should be 95% able to quote this. So we discussed more, all the while he thinks I am a poor nut and not willing to pay the "20%" of god knows what...Dermo has had enough of informed patient, then gets his "office manager in the room"...Oh boy a 25 year old twit witted women with giant fake boobs, lips, ect blowing the doc on the side, whom just says I am crazy and people don't ask what things cost and they don't quote them...All the while I am turning the wheels in my mind, can this really be happening. Yes. So After we couldn't firm up the "cost" I said cool, grabbed my jacket walked out, told them all to have a nice day. Dermo comes into the waiting area as I am leaving, asks why I left. In front of 20 people, I off course rather boisterously said, "doc, you need to inform patients of the costs, plain and simple I am with in my rights to ask, and if you choose not to provide me with that information and want to play deception, then I will choose to go to a different doc". He was pretty well shook up then that a scruffy bearded bald guy turned his "holy-ness" down. Why should I just "pray" my 20% wasn't going to be say 500 dollars, when they might have done the whole thing for cash for 200 dollars, its robbery from the patient perspective, and likely insurance perspective. TELL ME WHAT IT WILL FUCKING COST, simple procedures have simple costs, this is not a open heart bypass. Doctors invoice line items like any other business, why all the confusion. While I see Kirks point, Marcs point, Austins point in regard to the blatant abuse and use of the healthcare laws and system, there is also this side. The lazy corrupt and we don't have to tell you what we are doing what we are charging side. We went to med school, we are so smart, we deserve to charge whatever we wish, hush you sick person you cant ask what things cost how dare you. It irritates me that many doctors believe they are too "smart" to explain simple business practice (giving health care) to me, and or the procedure. lt is like their IQ is so high I just hit the powerball to sit in a room and soak in their residue, lucky me. (disclaimer not all doctors are like this I play soccer with several and have several I associate with, and they agree there are plenty like this however... ironically most of whom are in plastic surgery and dermo). The fact is there is no easy fix, duh. However this particular segment irks me. Quote a cost, bill the cost, plus or minus a small percentage. Maybe the pork is necessary for all the free loaders I suppose... In the end, if ACA isn't good enough for congress, it isn't good enough for me, didn't we vote them in our OUR behalf...HA crickey that's funny.

little bit of tort reform would be good, and opening the market place up like all capitalistic ideologies this country was founded on... Only in health care are you entering and unbinding agreement, where no costs are quoted, insurance or no insurance. That alone is criminal and could be the single easiest fix. (side no kirk how much do you "bill" insurance companies for ASO braces and similar devices...at Cardinal Ortho they billed my insurance company 750 dollars for a aso brace that can be purchased online for 80...Seems pretty fair to me, especially when they wont quote you a price and your insurance company covers 60%...) As for Bill's topic, yes I think this is fair the GOP/Conservatives "are stomping their feet" and not letting the .Gov operate. They are doing their job for their constituents and standing ground on the affordable health care act which is just outright bad policy. BAD BAD BAD policy.

metro in delaware just re did a lot of their equipment, they were selling off some racks. Try metro and see where it all went... I have no clue to be honest. Mono lifts are sweet, but mainly for heavy lifting.

MARK YOU WON!

Was that the ride out of Westerville on sunday? My dad did that century ride as well, I was going to but had a soccer match to play in, and not be dead the rest of the day lol. The OMBC Damn Dam race is at Alum Creek on Sunday, I am going to compete in it, I think Mike on here is as well. Should be fun for my first MTB race. Any group rides on wednesday or thursday? (I know about Westerville on wed.)

Ray you need to show that Orange Vette how to get to the winners circle... Good job Gramps!

that car is never going to race anything meaningful... It will have some "private" events held by Wiggles with nothing verified...at least that would follow the protocol thus far.

The trek store on sawmill has a pretty awesome fitting machine, but its overkill to some degree... All the Roll Bike stores have fitting scanners as well. But to be frank any expert and the factory frame specs should be able to get you pretty close. Its mainly about top tube length now-a-days and the how upright you want to be.

I didn't think he was going to do it yet...

When I was doing tri's drafting is not permitted, its a instant DQ, and I am fairly certain it still remains this way. She will pick you 30-50 watts going to a tri specific bike, they are meant to do one thing very well, and that is be aero and fast on flat pulls, they DO make a difference in that realm. Felt makes some nice TT bikes (time trial) for which your wife would enjoy the perks of technology. Also aero wheels make a world of change on these TT bikes as well as road bikes in general. Which Zipp's does she have, 303's?

I agree, I have lost touch somewhat with Graham since he moved, however when we were getting together and talking this that and the other he was a a genuine normal guy. In my honest opinion with success should come a certain level of confidence, and Graham is very modest with his own. I still communicate with him here and there, I do wish his luck would turn a little on circuit.

When do they go public Heard you can make it big then! I believe they had a segment on 60 minutes about this company some time ago. Good work.

Alum is just as bad.

Yeah at heart I have always just liked riding on the dirt, now I am second guessing some of that as the training you get on the road is exceptionally better. Hence why the best mtb'ers are very good on the road.

Let me start with the Lancaster ride I may not have gone in enough depth, we climbed rich hollow which peaks at 23% (all measurements are some GPS confirmed some very educated) , then starner rd climb peaks at 19%, then 3rd little twister carrol rd peaks 19%, then wagner rd climb peaks at 20%, then keifel rd which peaks at 25%, then clapper hollow rd peaks at 22% - total elevation around 3600 feet at the minimum, well over 4000 ft likely for 45 miles. Savage is a hard climb, but tame compared to Keifel its a bitch and clapper is hard, and chicken coup isn't bad either. There is nothing "steeper" then keifel in Ohio that we have found, not to say there are not, just haven't found them. Most Ohio is .6 climb so nothing is that difficult. Let me preference my Journey up Haleakala ride - I hadn't touched a road bike in 9 years, and only began hitting dirt again for the last two seasons. I road 3 training rides before riding up the mountain, the Lancaster hill ride, and two more 50 mile rides...Then rode the mountain. I have never been in the saddle for as long as I was on the bike on the mountain before ever. Well I made it up Haleakala in a little over 5 hours with two stops for water and then had to break once at 8000 feet to eat and clear my mind for the hardest part of the ride. (oh and my missed turn...) It was the coolest yet hardest ride I have ever done and I feel very accomplished in completing the ride. Here I will document the ride I rented my bike at Maui Cyclery (great guys) I picked up my rental the night before, I didn't splurge after all on the di shimano carbon bike, instead just a nice Orbea. Laid out all my gear for the ride the night before and then left my villa at 6 am to start the ride at 7 ( I was 45 minutes away in Kapula and needed to get to Paia ) I began the ride at 7 am and set off...The first 2000 feet sucked, one because I wasnt warmed up and two mentally getting in the grind mode took a little while. My wife went that morning for the sunrise ride down of the volcano, ran into her at 3100 feet at the Kula Market place where you refill bottles, that was cool, and my first stop...Oh this is after I missed the turn and climbed and extra 1000ft...(whoops...jack ass move, take this out and my time saves 30-40 minutes) Had a quick fun thought being and Alumni The first 2000 feet sucked, still pretty warm and very windy along the sugar cane farms. Then you hit 3000' wind dies down, climbing is getting eaiser, 4000' still not bad, cooling down slightly, in the trees a lot more and not much wind, 5000' same, 6000' little less trees, little more wind, but not bad. Off from the market place I didnt stop again till the well known range station at 7000', and paid my 5 dollars to get in and get to the visitor center for another re fuel on water and eat some more waffles. Here I caught another rider up and we chatted for a bit, pretty fun. At 7000' trees are pretty well dissapearing and you are now seeing a few clouds and getting ready to ride through them. 8000' rode through the clouds and I am now really suffering, this is where more training would have helpped, I only had a 30 final cog, so I had to get in it and just grind. OH and the head winds 25-30 mph, AWESOME...Now 9000' the observation deck is well in sight, and I am motivated again, eat a gel at my 8000' mental slip. Then I climbed hit the vistor parking lot and found the worst and steepest part is the climb from the lot to the observation deck, complete bitch, mainly I was shot, and it was steep. I made it. YES I climbed roughly 11,000' total this day, with my missed turn...(grrr) GREAT accomplishment, in around 5 hours of pure suffering... People all clap for you at the top and question you to death about how crazy you are, and any one who does this is in some way crazy. period. Couple quick shots, after putting on my arm warmers, leg warmers, wind vest, skull cap ect for the ride down. The ride down was a BLAST - took about 97 minutes to descend, I hit 47 mph as a peak, but keep it pretty composed as my focus was starting to go... Made it back to the beach, and hit the road back to the villa to dominate some food. By estimations I used around 7000 calories doing the climb, and only eat 6 waffles and 8 gels...1800 worth of energy. I would do it again in a heart beat, it was a blast, the views were incredible, the weather great, the ride epic. FUN. Once my new ride arrives I would love to get in on some rides. I will let you know when that happens!

Just ordered this bike - Finally am getting into road cycling, been into dirt riding for a long time. I always hated road pedaling because it bored me, but now the training aspect of it is awesome. http://www.bianchiusa.com/uploads/pics/Y3B24U-Infinito-Ultegra-C.jpg With in the last week my dad has been training me for what I consider to be a torutre fest...I am headed to Hawaii on saturday and will be on Maui to climb mt. halelaka (volcano, longest paved elevation ride in the world). Here is a over view of the ride, while 34 miles is not far at all... 10k feet is...(be doing this next thursday friday, and will go pro sections of it for fun! I should make it in 4 ish hours up and 1.5 hours going back down. Went on the "death loop" last week in Lancaster, and had 6 climbs and 46 miles, all the climbs were 15% grade or higher with 3 of the climbs getting to 27%...Not been on a bike for 7 years on the road this was brutal. . . Then this week rode out two quick 45 miles runs, avg speed 18 mph the first night, and 20 mph today (difficult today). If any wants to get a ride together let me know!

no one cares :gabe:

I am back - Sorry for the MIA, I work as a technical rep for Nike Golf as well and this keeps be BOMBED from later march till essentially last weekend. I see someone picked up where I left off, if you lock it in let me know. If not I spoke with the head pros I know and can get something quick. ALSO if any one is playing this weekend let me know, I would like to actually go play.

Back - emptied my PM's ... whoops And my busy season slowed down so I am getting back into the swing of things.