I’m one of many people who hate going to the doctor. Also, since COVID-19 started, I’m even less inclined to drive in for a visit. I’m fairly young and take pretty good care of myself, so prior to working for an insurance company I opted for a bare bones, major medical insurance health plan. However, last month I saw the wisdom of having decent medical insurance coverage with added benefits.
I experienced some digestion-related issues similar to food poisoning that persisted for over 48 hours. I was just self-medicating with healthy food, fluids, and probiotics. The only symptom that was out of the ordinary was a pain and tightness in my lower, right abdomen. A friend of mine had recently had appendicitis, so I knew that was a possibility. She had a different set of symptoms than me that included fever and vomiting (neither of which I experienced), so I wasn’t convinced that was the problem.
My issues weren’t getting better, so my girlfriend recommended that I talk to a doctor online. My current health plan includes free Teladoc visits, so I decided to give it a shot. (Without insurance, Teladoc and other similar services typically cost less than $100 per visit. Teladoc is great for talking with a U.S. board certified doctor 24/7 for non-emergency conditions, getting medically necessary prescriptions, or getting your skin assessed by a licensed dermatologist.) I hopped on my computer, followed the link on my insurance provider’s website, and filled out my personal info to request an appointment immediately (you can also schedule them for certain times). Within 5 minutes, I was face to face with a doctor for the first time in years.
I had a short conversation with the Teladoc doctor in which I described the past couple of days and my symptoms. He said that it could very well be appendicitis because the location of my pain was in the lower-right quadrant of my abdomen. The doctor implored me to go to a hospital or clinic to get a CT scan to be sure if it was appendicitis or not. Because if you wait too long, your appendix could burst, and you could die or spend weeks in a hospital as a result. There is a limit to what can be accurately be diagnosed through a computer screen (though minor illnesses and dermatology are easily taken care of through Teladoc), so I begrudgingly went to the hospital for a CT scan.
I went to the local Reno hospital, Renown Medical Center for my CT scan. A short while after getting scanned, I was informed that my appendix had swelled to twice its normal size and was at risk of rupturing. I then was asked to sign some forms and was prepped for surgery. I was wheeled on a gurney to the operating room and was administered anesthesia. I’ve never been put under the gas before, so when I finally came to, I asked, “So when does the surgery start?” I was in quite a bit of pain and on medication but was released from the hospital within 24 hours.
5 weeks later and I’m back to normal, other than a few small scars on my stomach. Teladoc and the advice of a live medical professional was really the kick in the pants that I needed to get the medical care I needed. I believe they played a part in saving my life, so I’m very grateful to them, my girlfriend, Renown (and its great doctors and nurses), and my employer / insurance broker A and H Insurance. I’ve learned from this experience that your health isn’t something you want to leave to chance, because it’s literally the most precious thing you have and should be well-protected.
Disclaimer: Some A and H Insurance health plans include virtual health visits through Teladoc or other similar services. This is in no way an endorsement of Teladoc, but simply the experience of one of our employees. Check with your insurance account manager to see if virtual health visits are covered in your plan.
