Lantus for my Mother in Charlotte (cost, law, health)

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by vbg

I am in University Area (28262). But because she does not have health insurance, I think they will asked her to visit doctor and many different tests, so it will not be "be around $100 dollars or so". It will be around $1000.

I disagree about that cost...once you explain the situation, that she is a diabetic visiting from another country and runnning out of her meds, they will be able to help you without a whole lot of testing. In addition, Carolinas Medical Center will not turn anyone away regardless of whether they have insurance or not. Call one of their urgent care centers to get more information


http://www.carolinashealthcare.org/s...s/Urgent_Care/

[ctribucher]

Good info, loves. Hopefully vbg's mom will get the medicine she needs!

[anifani821]

By law, no Emergency Dept in the USA can turn anyone away and if a person is a non-citizen, they are not required to pay for the service. Ask to see a Medical Social Worker if you go this route.

Also, if you go to ANY doctor, including an Urgent Care Center, tell them your mother's situation and that she has no insurance and ask for their lowest CONTRACT RATE. They will lower the charges for you once you do that, but you have to use those magic words to get it!!!!

[vbg]

Originally Posted by anifani821

By law, no Emergency Dept in the USA can turn anyone away and if a person is a non-citizen, they are not required to pay for the service. Ask to see a Medical Social Worker if you go this route.

Are you sure about it?!

Thank you to everybody! We will go to Prosperity Church Urgent Care
(5435 Prosperity Church Road, Charlotte NC 28269) right now. And we will try to get lantus!

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by vbg

Are you sure about it?!

Thank you to everybody! We will go to Prosperity Church Urgent Care
(5435 Prosperity Church Road, Charlotte NC 28269) right now. And we will try to get lantus!

Yes, I am sure about this - I am in healthcare management. But this won't work if you agree to sign papers to accept responsibility for your mother's healthcare expense!!!! That is why I said - ask to confer w/ one of the hospital's Medical Social Workers.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by anifani821

Yes, I am sure about this - I am in healthcare management. But this won't work if you agree to sign papers to accept responsibility for your mother's healthcare expense!!!! That is why I said - ask to confer w/ one of the hospital's Medical Social Workers.

GREAT advice Ani

Also, make sure they understand your mother is not currently ill or needing a diagnosis - only that she is already a diagnosed diabetic and needs medication Rx so that she won't become ill (this should avoid any unnecessary testing).

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

GREAT advice Ani

Also, make sure they understand your mother is not currently ill or needing a diagnosis - only that she is already a diagnosed diabetic and needs medication Rx so that she won't become ill (this should avoid any unnecessary testing).

That is an excellent piece of advice, too. Yeah - just a blood sugar check and script. I hope things don't get complicated for them . . .

[Hoagie58]

Originally Posted by anifani821

(1)By law, no Emergency Dept in the USA can turn anyone away and (2) if a person is a non-citizen, they are not required to pay for the service. Ask to see a Medical Social Worker if you go this route.

Also, if you go to ANY doctor, including an Urgent Care Center, tell them your mother's situation and that she has no insurance and ask for their lowest CONTRACT RATE. They will lower the charges for you once you do that, but you have to use those magic words to get it!!!!

(1) This is only true of REAL emergencies and active labor. Community hospitals are more likely to treat all who enter. For-profits are very much likely to send you away.

(2) Very skeptical of this, but never unwilling to learn something new (or eat crow, when needed ). Do you have any info on this?

[rxdiva]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

It has less to do with the Rx being written in Russian and more to do with it being from another country. Without a DEA number you aren't going to get that Rx filled in America.

Actually, that's false. I'm a pharmacist. We can take a non-controlled substance prescription from outside of the US as long as we have all the doctor's information. But if the prescription is written in Russian, that would pose a problem if we couldn't get it translated properly. For the meantime, I would definitely follow the advice of the other on this post and see someone at an urgent care clinic or ER for a new prescription.

[smclarke4]

Could you get lantus or a prescription written in English fedexed from Russia. Perhaps her family doctor could arrange something. You could have it by Monday if you got on to it straight away.