I just need to vent. JAWM

[busymama7]

My 11 year old daughter jumped up and fell on the side of her foot twisting it last Thursday night. She has done similar before so we gave it a couple days. By Monday she was still limping and in moderate pain so we took her in to urgent care. They did the X-ray, the dr came in and said he didn't see anything but examined her. Once he pinpointed the spot of pain he said he would look again. Came in with a copy and said yes there was a very small break. It is barely noticeable. Tiny. No displacement, nothing. They splinted it and gave her crutches. They want to have her see a podiatrist. Told me it unlikely they will do anything because it's going to heal fine on its own but still she needs to go.

 

Now, we have no insurance as of tomorrow. We joined a health share knowing the limitations, one of which is no pre existing which of course this is. Even if it was covered we would have a deductible to meet so would be paying for the visits anyways. The podiatrist can't see her for 2 weeks and we leave on Sunday for a week. They want a $200 down payment per visit of which she probably need several, X-rays each time, to check the healing. I wish I could explain how small this crack is. It's going to heal. It seems like a crazy run around to get more money out of people. 😡. I know I'm not a doctor. I know there could be crazy complications. But really, she just needs a cast and to stay off it.

 

I just want someone to put on a cast and check it again in 6-8 weeks. The Peds won't do it. Say she needs a podiatrist. They don't even do casts?!?!? Sigh. I hate health care. I hate not have a general doctor who can just do stuff. If it's not strep throat or the flu it's a specialist. Seriously, the Peds and family doctors can't/won't do anything.

 

I'm exhausted. It's been a very tough week. We are taking our second oldes to college (hence the leaving Sunday) and there have been lots of last minute stuff for that this week as well as starting school. This is just adding a crazy amount of stress.

 

ETA: we can afford to take her to the podiatrist but it is a lot of money that seems unnecessary to spend. We just want more sane health care and are tired of this run around.

Edited September 1, 2016 by busymama7

[SKL]

Try a chiropractor.

 

I would not go to a podiatrist for this.  That sounds ridiculous.

[Starr]

:grouphug:  :grouphug:  :grouphug:

[busymama7]

Try a chiropractor.

 

I would not go to a podiatrist for this. That sounds ridiculous.

This is what my husband wants to do. Leave the splint on and then have a chiropractor re X-ray it in 6 weeks. I am ok with that but would prefer a cast. Problem is I don't know who will do a cast for her. Already tried the pediatrian.

[Anne]

Depending on the kind of break it is, she may not need a cast.  One of my dds had a hairline fracture in her foot (but I don't remember exactly where) and she just had to wear a boot for awhile, and then no jumping on it for awhile.

 

:grouphug:  :grouphug:  :grouphug:

 

Anne

[busymama7]

Depending on the kind of break it is, she may not need a cast. One of my dds had a hairline fracture in her foot (but I don't remember exactly where) and she just had to wear a boot for awhile, and then no jumping on it for awhile.

 

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

 

Anne

Yes that could be a possibility. All I know is the urgent care dr so absolutely no weight on it due to where it was. But I just don't want to go see a specialist for $$$.

[Guest]

Just keep it splinted and use crutches. I wouldn't go to the podiatrist for that either!

[LifeLovePassion]

I had a hairline fracture in my foot in elementary school. No cast, just crutches for a few weeks then limited activity. No jumping or running for a few more weeks.

[kewb]

I would go to the podiatrist. The urgent care doctor is not a foot specialist. You only get one set of feet. On the off chance it doesn't heal correctly your dd is looking at a lifetime of foot pain.

[Jan in SC]

Try calling a walk-in orthopedist office and ask if you can bring your X-rays. Be prepared to pay $150-350 for a cast.

[TechWife]

I would go to a walk in orthopedist with the X-rays in hand. 

 

If that isn't available, call for an appointment and explain that your insurance terminates today. Most people who answer phones are compassionate and will work you in if at all possible. 

[busymama7]

I would go to a walk in orthopedist with the X-rays in hand.

 

If that isn't available, call for an appointment and explain that your insurance terminates today. Most people who answer phones are compassionate and will work you in if at all possible.

I tried that yesterday but got no where. That was the last day with the HMO. I couldn't have gone elsewhere due to the referral. We are now in our own and have to figure this out. It's so frustrating.

[Tap]

Call the new program and find out if it is considered pre-existing or not.  Since it happened after you signed up and was an accident so close to the start up date, maybe you can get a waiver for it. 

 

I thought one thing that the Affordable Care Act got rid of was preexisting condition clauses.  This may not have affected this style of healthcare, but you may want to ask. 

 

 

Any chance you can extend the HMO for a month or two?

Edited September 1, 2016 by Tap

[SparklyUnicorn]

I had something similar.  They only did a follow up at the ortho.  No cast and no podiatrist and no big deal really.  I wouldn't go to a podiatrist. 

 

 

[wapiti]

The recommendation for a podiatrist sounds odd to me (but what do I know - not much).  I would have expected orthopedic surgeon.  That's where my ds was sent for a broken leg.  The fancy boot cost around $200.  We went for three visits total; if money was tight, we probably could have gone for two (initial consult and a later follow-up with x-ray).  All of it was under our deductible.

[kewb]

The recommendation for a podiatrist sounds odd to me (but what do I know - not much). I would have expected orthopedic surgeon. That's where my ds was sent for a broken leg. The fancy boot cost around $200. We went for three visits total; if money was tight, we probably could have gone for two (initial consult and a later follow-up with x-ray). All of it was under our deductible.

You would want to see a podiatrist who is also a surgeon. Unlike an orthopedic surgeon who is trained in all the bones and joints a podiatrist is trained only in the foot and the ankle.

[itsheresomewhere]

You would want to see a podiatrist who is also a surgeon. Unlike an orthopedic surgeon who is trained in all the bones and joints a podiatrist is trained only in the foot and the ankle.

This. Our hairline, barely can been seen fracture was more serious later as it was not treated properly. It still causes pain on certain days. So for us, do not skip, go to the podiatrist.

[busymama7]

This. Our hairline, barely can been seen fracture was more serious later as it was not treated properly. It still causes pain on certain days. So for us, do not skip, go to the podiatrist.

What needed to be done that wasn't? She's resting it and is on crutches in a splint. I could see it being iffy with a walking cast but she's not bearing any weight on it at all. They can't even get her for at least two weeks. So much healing is going to happen in two weeks and it might be more since we are going out of town and they were totally not concerned about that.

[busymama7]

Call the new program and find out if it is considered pre-existing or not. Since it happened after you signed up and was an accident so close to the start up date, maybe you can get a waiver for it.

 

I thought one thing that the Affordable Care Act got rid of was preexisting condition clauses. This may not have affected this style of healthcare, but you may want to ask.

 

 

Any chance you can extend the HMO for a month or two?

The share programs are exempt from ACA. It's not insurance. So yes it is pre existing. But it would still need to be paid anyways since we have to pay the first $1500 per year.

 

We could have used cobra but at $1200-1300 a month, the share program still comes out ahead. We would still have had co pays and deductibles if we kept our insurance. It would have been less for sure for this event but so much more overall that we are still coming out ahead.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I would go to the podiatrist. The urgent care doctor is not a foot specialist. You only get one set of feet. On the off chance it doesn't heal correctly your dd is looking at a lifetime of foot pain.

Yes.  As I sit here in pain that is limiting my mobility.  I have several "it's only a small fracture" injuries from childhood that didn't heal well and limited function.  I would not want that in my foot. 

 

The recommendation for a podiatrist sounds odd to me (but what do I know - not much).  I would have expected orthopedic surgeon.  That's where my ds was sent for a broken leg.  The fancy boot cost around $200.  We went for three visits total; if money was tight, we probably could have gone for two (initial consult and a later follow-up with x-ray).  All of it was under our deductible.

 

You would want to see a podiatrist who is also a surgeon. Unlike an orthopedic surgeon who is trained in all the bones and joints a podiatrist is trained only in the foot and the ankle.

:iagree: Feet and ankles are incredible complicated joints. 

 

To the OP, while the fracture is what shows up on the x-ray, there is also likely soft-tissue damage (tendon and ligament damage) which is probably even more problematic than the fracture.  Part of why I had such a devastating injury to my ankle is due to the lifetime of ankle injuries that weren't properly treated because I was raised with the idea that resting it for a while was all I needed to do. 

[ktgrok]

You would want to see a podiatrist who is also a surgeon. Unlike an orthopedic surgeon who is trained in all the bones and joints a podiatrist is trained only in the foot and the ankle.

 

Ah, see at the orthopedist clinic they have doctors that specialize in feet, others that do hands, etc. 

[City Mouse]

You can back pay and enroll in the cobra retroactively if you need to. In this case it might be worth it to pay for the cobra while she heals.

[ktgrok]

You can back pay and enroll in the cobra retroactively if you need to. In this case it might be worth it to pay for the cobra while she heals.

 

Yes, you have 60 days after loss of coverage to apply for it. Or maybe it's 30 days...either way, you should be able to still enroll and it is retroactive. 

[Just Kate]

Yes, you have 60 days after loss of coverage to apply for it. Or maybe it's 30 days...either way, you should be able to still enroll and it is retroactive.

It's 60 days. Great idea!

[tampamommy]

As others have already mentioned, not all breaks are casted anymore, especially with children. Walking boots and splints are commonly used (as with my dd's ankle) and actually help the person maintain a bit more function and a bit less muscle atrophy while healing.