Letters to the Editor is a routine function. We welcome all remarks and will release a choice. We modify for length and clearness and need complete names.
Teeth-Gnashing History Repeats Itself
In checking out the AGGA (Anterior Growth Guidance Appliance) oral device and the associated issues (“This Dental Device Was Sold to Fix Patients’ Jaws. Lawsuits Claim It Wrecked Their Teeth,” March 1), I kept in mind in your post no referral to a comparable issue with the proplast-teflon item to treat TMJ, or temporomandibular joint condition, from the 1980s and ’90s, which triggered comparable damages. It impresses me that basically the exact same story occurred once again. The proplast-teflon item even led to congressional-level examinations. And the item was summarily eliminated by FDA order throughout the United States.
Thank you for your good investigative work.
— Dr. Abbey Strauss, Boca Raton, Florida
— Dr. Joseph Ross, New Haven, Connecticut
This issue appears to broaden beyond the AGGA gadget to the Las Vegas Institute’s whole approach. The exact same thing was promised/done to me with braces by LVI-trained oral specialists. I remained in braces for 6 years, and my teeth have areas they cannot fill now — all while I’m still settling my financial obligation and not able to pay for extra work.
— Chrystal Wilson, Roanoke, Virginia
— Doug Hirsch, CEO of GoodRx, Santa Monica, California
Slipping Through a Billing Loophole
I help support the kind of network that this post referrals (“Bill of the Month: Surprise-Billing Law Loophole: When ‘Out of Network’ Doesn’t Quite Mean Out of Network, Feb. 28). I think it is important for KHN to educate people on narrow-network products, which was the product the Laskey family selected for their medical insurance benefits. These products have lower monthly premium costs for people who select into them, like the Laskeys, but reduce their in-network provider options, hence the term “narrow network.”
These narrow networks might perform instructional webinars, go to open-enrollment fairs, and have a website (in addition to the payer’s website) so that members are informed about the narrow-network offering. With the adoption of more value-based care in the U.S.A., narrow networks are most likely to end up being more common, and more individuals will require to comprehend the insurance coverage items, and their networks.
— David Mayo, Denver
— Greg Slabodkin, Niagara Falls, New York
Chronic Pain Patients’ Chronic Rx Hurdles
Saw the post about how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standards the previous couple of years have actually frightened a lot of medical professionals up until barely any recommend opioids any longer (“New CDC Opioid Guidelines: Too Little, Too Late for Chronic Pain Patients?” March 15).
Just wished to chime in that I am having the specific very same issue. I have persistent discomfort, arthritis throughout my body, a degenerative disc condition, and a lot more recorded medical issues. I just recently broke my collarbone and was provided just a two-day supply of opioid medication for it. And my discomfort physician’s workplace doesn’t even recommend me opioids.
I’ve likewise been dealt with terribly in the past when I was on an opioid. And if it weren’t for my family physician’s understanding, I would still be residing in a lot discomfort that life appeared too tough to cope with this much torment. I’m on what they call Tylenol 4, with codeine; it hardly holds the discomfort back, however I still cannot manage winter (and I dislike the heat) or perhaps doing typical tasks around my house without entering into such a bad discomfort state I need to remain in bed. If I had the ability to get the discomfort medication suitable for my condition, I might really take pleasure in things once again. But since of the “opioid crisis,” that would make me an addict, by the majority of physician’s viewpoints. I understand the CDC didn’t suggest to make lots of persistent discomfort clients reside in torment, however in my experience, that’s precisely what has actually taken place. And there’s absolutely nothing I can do about it.
So I wished to thank you for the post since I don’t think society or the medical community truly understands what the guidelines did to people like those in your article, or like me either. Thank you so much for writing that!
— Michelle Shivpuri, Cedar Hill, Texas
— Maia Szalavitz, New York City
Cost-Cutting Tools You Can Use
I am a 66-year-old female who had a colonoscopy and polyps removed at a hospital. This was my first screening of this kind, and upon completion I was billed $882 out-of-pocket. Luckily I was listening to your “Bill of the Month” coverage on South Carolina public radio. It educated me of my rights to preventive care under Obamacare. I was able to dispute the bill with success. But I must add here that my health insurance company tried to discourage me from challenging this bill. It made me feel that the bill was correct and that I should feel lucky that it was only that much. I was very disappointed, so I persisted to fill out another dispute in which I quoted KHN and threatened further action. Within a few weeks, my insurer rescinded the bill I had to pay $0. Big thanks to KHN-NPR’s “Bill of the Month”!
— Angela Thomas, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
— Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai, Rome
Warning: Painting a Graphic Picture of Drug Use
I recently came across your Kensington “tranq dope” article (“Postcard from a Philadelphia neighborhood: As Opioids Mixed With Animal Tranquilizers Arrive in Kensington, So Do Alarming Health Challenges,” Feb. 15). I have been in the health care field for 20-plus years and recently married a recovering addict, so it brought back a bad and vivid memory I’d like to share with the community of Kensington — the users, as well as the first responders, and health care providers, and wound care treatment teams who so graciously step in and up to help individuals suffering from xylazine’s horrific effects.
My husband, Joshua, who became addicted to opioids after being prescribed painkillers for shoulder surgery 20 years ago, was a previous xylazine user only because it was in just about all of the supposed “heroin” bags he bought. One day he said to me, “Why does it feel like something is crawling under my skin?” After looking at his arms, with big nasty-looking sores on them, I replied, “I have no clue.” Thinking he was just “high” and making it up or just hallucinating, I went back to bed. A few hours later, he woke me saying there were worms or maggots coming out of his arms. So, again, I go into the bathroom with him to see what he was talking about, and sure enough it certainly looked exactly like what he had described. Clearly, he needed to be checked out, but being a stubborn, bullheaded man — along with being labeled, judged, and treated poorly previously when seeking medical attention — he did not seek care. A few days later, he was still pulling these things out of his arms and, finally, I persuaded him to be seen by a doctor. The entire doctor’s office couldn’t believe what they were looking at, so after going over everything it could have been, we learned that it was, in fact, a parasite. The doctor’s best explanation was that the drug Josh had injected must have been contaminated with larvae, and it was producing parasites.
Now let’s take a minute and think about this. Hmm. Horse tranquilizer, horseflies, maggots, or worms … whichever you’d like to call them. It makes sense, doesn’t it? So just use caution when treating individuals and please watch for any possible parasites that may not be treated properly. My husband was given antibiotics, a steroid, and a cream to treat the problem and is doing fine now, but the critters have left nasty scars on his arms for him to have a daily reminder of, for sure.
“Tranq dope” is so hard to get off of, and the detox and withdrawal symptoms are extremely hard to handle and overcome, my husband says. Also, there’s not enough information on how to treat or counteract the symptoms. After being clean for just over a year, he relapsed again and went back to the streets of Philly. He is currently incarcerated at a Montgomery County correctional facility, helping his fellow inmates become aware of how serious and dangerous xylazine really is. Our dream is to someday open a fully functional safe house and outreach program within the Philadelphia area to assist as many individuals as possible and show them a better way of life and help them start their new journey.
— Jill Romanishan, Williamsport, Pennsylvania
—D.B. Pritt, Clayton, New York
Shoring Up Coverage Ahead of the Great Unwinding
Millions of Americans could lose Medicaid coverage soon (“Medicaid Health Plans Try to Protect Members — And Profits — During Unwinding,” March 9). This problem could be solved seamlessly by Congress expanding public option health insurance in all states in 2023. Do petition the White House, the entire U.S. Senate, and the entire House of Representatives to expand it in all 50 states to provide health care to millions of Americans still without health care or who are about to lose state Medicaid coverage soon.
— Piotr Sliwka, Manassas Park, Virginia
— Marcella Maguire, Philadelphia
