Biotronik pm

P.s.

by helen1973 - 2019-09-07 06:31:15

I am 4 years in and am 46 years old

insurance

by Tracey_E - 2019-09-07 09:19:48

The longest any of us stay is overnight, that had nothing to do with insurance or lack thereof. Some doctors do it and release same day. 

If a lead is dislodged, that means it's not pacing. I'm not sure how a lead can come dislodged 4 years later, maybe it's just bad? The question to ask is if it's the atrial or ventricular. With av block, we use the ventricular  as much 100% but rarely if ever use the atrial. So,if it's the atrial, no rush. If it's the ventricular but it's still pacing, possibly no rush. If it's the ventricular and you are not pacing, you need to find a way to get it done but if you feel ok that is probably not the case. Those of us with 3rd degree block feel it within seconds if we are not pacing.

Talk to your doctor and the hospital about your options, both for taking care of the lead and for payment if it can't wait until you get insurance. I've been on an employer's insurance since Obamacare took effect so I am not up on the new rules. Used to be pre-exisiting condition you were pretty much screwed unless you were on a large group plan but I believe they can't do that anymore and there is an open enrollment period. I'm sure someone will chime in with more info but maybe you can hold off until open enrollment. 

Misplaced Lead

by Marybird - 2019-09-07 13:19:34

My sister was informed that one of her leads wasn't pacing and needed to be replaced about a month or so after she got her pacemaker. She said this was done in an outpatient procedure at the hospital, she was there a couple hours and then went home. 

Has nothing to do with insurance, or lack thereof. My sister has a Medicare Advantage plan. When I had my pacemaker implanted about three months ago, I went home the same day, and I'm on Medicare with a secondary insurance. 

Mary

Overnight

by AgentX86 - 2019-09-07 19:31:43

Even though I was over 65, I have an employer's group plan (and Medicare part-A, only, as secondary). I was admitted overnight, not because of the pacemaker but because I had an AV ablation at the same time. Since I was then PM dependent, they wanted extra time to make sure everything was working. If I weren't dependent, they'd have shown me the door two hours after surgery (just local anesthesia).

Three of me five caths (3 ablations, a heart cath, and a carotid cath) were outpatient. Assuming no serious complications, this stuff is usually as an outpatient, or at most one overnight.

health insurance

by islandgirl - 2019-09-08 11:52:23

Sign-up period should be in Nov.  It will take effect Jan 1.  I've been on the Affordable Care Act insurance for 4 years, losing my group health through a divorce.  The prices have almost doubled since 3 years ago.  I don't receive a subsidy.  I looked into 'regular' private insurance last year and it was 2x what I pay and of course had pre-existing.  I've never been without insurance, so I was told I would be exempt from pre-existing.  

Make sure your doctors are on the plan you select.  Even though I was told 3 years ago by an insurance rep they can be added, they can't be added.  

The sign-up period for insurance has been shortened over the last few years and is not well advertised.  Go to the affordable health care website and you can look at policies and find out who a broker is in your area.  You can go in and speak to them directly or call them and they'll go over the insurance plans.  

PM surgery is done as outpatient, so under 24 hr stay, unless there are complications.  Be careful of catastrophic insurance that has been discussed, as I'm fairly certain it doesn't cover outpatient procedures.  I heard a horror story on NPR a year or so ago about a lady that had a lumpectomy for breast cancer and chemo and radiation, had catastrophic health insurance, and it didn't pay for anything because it was all done outpatient.

A 50 year old 'age tax' has been added to health insurance premiums in the last year or so.  Medicare age tax is currently being discussed.