Comments for Notes from an Escalator

Comment on Phuket, part one. by Jeff Forster

Jeff Forster — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:56:10 +0000

We skipped Phuket because of its reputation when we were in Thailand. We went instead to Koh Samet. The mention of milkshakes and cocktails reminded me of ordering dinner at Koh Samet, sitting at a table on the beach in the gathering dark with the waves lapping at our feet under the table. Waiting for the server to come, I deliberated: should I have a milkshake or a beer? milkshake or beer? Then, I did the math on the prices and realized that one cost 30 cents and one 50 cents. When the server arrived, I said “I’ll have a milkshake and a beer.” That night I had lasagna and grilled cheese for dinner. Mmmmmm. Ouch. Mmmmm.

Comment on Hong Kong health care: a note on costs by Jessica Moore

Jessica Moore — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:42:35 +0000

They say that they’re giving you a big giant discount for writing a check right then. I think it’s a combo of a) they’re getting money right now and not having to fight anyone for it or wait and b) they can bill the insurance company for more, so they do.

Shortly after C was born I got a bill from the anesthesiologist for the d/c that I had after miscarrying the baby before C. They had apparently “forgotten” to bill my share, and “remembered” when they billed my epidural with C. I had already budgeted out as much as I was comfortable with paying off the bills from C’s delivery, so I told them that they were going to get $20/month until I got everything else paid off. After two or three months, they offered a 50% discount if I paid it that month.

I just think it’s ridiculous how negotiable the prices are, even after the fact.

Comment on The Chestnut Man by The chestnuts are back, the chestnuts are back! « Notes from an Escalator

The chestnuts are back, the chestnuts are back! « Notes from an Escalator — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:29:13 +0000

[...] back for a few weeks now. Living in a new neighborhood, we don’t have a chestnut man like last year, but chestnut ladies. And even though I buy the chestnuts for some reason having to do with books I [...]

Comment on Hong Kong health care: a note on costs by foodsmith

foodsmith — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:57:26 +0000

Wow, Jessica, that is mind boggling. So where did all the extra charges come from? I thought insurance was supposed to get a better deal since they can negotiate lower rates …. thanks for sharing this.

Comment on Eating Local, Hong Kong Style: Ginger by DeAne

DeAne — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:00:01 +0000

Monte,

I think what you need is an old fashioned bread box. Would a large cookie tin with a rack in it allow you to leave the ginger “out” but protected? Maybe you really need the air-flow and this would not work.

DeAne

Comment on Eating Local, Hong Kong Style: Ginger by Frieda Smith

Frieda Smith — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:23:18 +0000

Okay, I’m dying to be in a kitchen where the dirty dishes don’t last 5 minutes. If memory serves me correctly HK cockroaches couldn’t exactly be called little guys! And if memory serves me correctly dirty dishes often stayed in my sink way longer than 5 minutes – sometimes a couple of days. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t call them little guys. Remember I was very young then!

Comment on Hong Kong health care: a note on costs by Jessica Moore

Jessica Moore — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:15:32 +0000

Monte –

I can’t speak for the entire US, but my insurance has changed since I had Callie, so this time around, I’m investigating private pay options in my area.

If I pay all at once, my OB’s charge for all of my pre-natal care and an uncomplicated vaginal delivery is in the neighborhood of $1,200. (and goes up from there if I need to make payment arrangements and spread it out.)
As for the hospital, if I write a check at discharge, a two night stay for me and New Baby, I’m looking at about $2,500.
My epidural with C was $900.

I had, and will have, a private room, and my OB is a high risk specialist.

Here’s the mind boggling part: According to my EOBs, the hospital, OB, and anesthesiologists billed my insurance (for Callie and me combined) a total of a little over $18,000. My out of pocket portion was almost $3,000.

Comment on Year of Asian Cinema : 3 by Christa

Christa — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:28:05 +0000

Hey, I just got around to reading this and ordered Wayne to go find this movie for us — I only skimmed the “spoiler” section. He, being more linear than I, adamantly refused my helpful out-loud reading of your blog after the first couple of paragraphs, haha.

Anyway, thanks, I’m looking forward to it!

Comment on what I want to tell you by sue gray

sue gray — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:47:03 +0000

Looks great! I am so happy i can now keep in touch–i don’t know why i resisted facebook for so long!

Comment on Health Care: a quick update by Marcy

Marcy — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 20:59:12 +0000

That sounds a lot like what Geneva was like, as far as the public vs private clinics. I heard a rumor that one of the private clinics had something like a 50% c-section rate. I was VERY glad to have found my midwife and the birthing center where D was born, otherwise I would have gone with the public hospital as the midwives who worked there seemed very nice and very supportive of natural labor and helping you through it (though that can vary depending on who you get during that particular shift).