evan938

so you dont think the pain in my back, numbness in my hands and crotch could have anything to do with how my bike fits me?

again, i should have phrased my question differently as my insurance is not paying for it, it'd be coming out of my HSA that i've funded 100% so far, and still haven't (and wouldn't with a fitting) met my deductible before co-insurance kicks in at all.

either way, i plan to have the fit done, i just thought i'd see if it might be possible to get it done with my HSA funds because in a sense, it is leading me to live a healthier lifestyle. it's worth a shot

Beaker

No, that wasn't my intent; I'm not trying to minimize your discomfort. The main thing here is that a bike fit is one of several options. I was highlighting the difference in approach between an injury that required medical diagnosis and treatment - where that treatment was covered by insurance, as opposed to starting out by wondering about medical insurance. Either way, I'd focus on getting your fit and comfort issues worked out first (this can take a lot of trial and error) since I believe all HSA's work via reimbursement anyway - I assume you'd go ahead and get the bike fit done regardless of whether you'd be reimbursed?

valygrl

I wonder where the line should be drawn for preventative treatment? I think many would agree it is appropriate to have preventive care like cancer screening or cholesterol testing; if bike fitting prevents overuse injuries caused by I'll-fitting equipment... maybe it makes sense for it to be covered?

I don't know where you eould want to stop that slippery slope, though. It's a recreational activity, after all. But I bet in a small number of cases, a fit could be so off it causes an injury that in turn requires much more expensive and invasive treatment.

Back to the OP's case, it wouldn't hurt to ask, and the doc/insurance company can decide based on their policy.

jrobe

As a Physician, if a patient came to me asking for a formal referral for a bike fit (hoping to get insurance coverage), I would roll my eyes and simply say no. It seems pretty clear that that isn't an expense that should be passed onto the other clients of that insurance company (i.e.. the rest of us). Whether the expense is before or after your deductible also doesn't make much difference to the rest of us.

Bacciagalupe

Medical insurance will cover specific pre-approved medical procedures. If a specific doctor, lab, procedure or hospital is "in network" (i.e. they have an agreement with the insurer), you get better coverage. If it's out of network, you get much less coverage.

Pruitt is a special case, in that he is a doctor at a reputable sports medicine center, which is on many insurance plans. If you don't live in Boulder, though, the costs for transportation and/or lodging are on your dime; chances are this will cost you far more than you'd ever save.

More to the point, very few fitters have setups like this. I'm not even sure if anyone in NYC offers a fit that's covered by medical insurance.

rebel1916

Yep, and then, between bad knees meaning the guy can't run, and repetitive stress injuries limiting his cycling, the guy gains 40 lbs over he next 10 years. His BP and his cholesterol sky rocket, and next thing you know, the rest of us are paying for triple bypass and all the fun extras that go along with chronic heart disease. But you can feel great, about the way you made sure, that this guy didn't have a chance to stay healthy (on his own dime, remember HSA) because it might have been a little outside the box. The fact that preventative care is so under valued in this country, is one of the reasons that health care costs are so high for all of us. But, come to think, I guess a lot of MDs don't have a major problem with that...

RUOkie

that is a very nice story there. you went straight from "I can't afford a bike fitting" to "I need a bypass" wow, just wow.

Bacciagalupe

Preventative care is a good thing.

Doctors encouraging their patients to get exercise is a good thing.

That doesn't mean an insurance company should pick up the tab for every sports-related cost you can dream up.

svtmike

If your HSA is like mine, you control the disbursements from it. The burden is on the individual to ensure that the disbursements are made to cover legitimate medical expenses. That becomes important if the IRS ever decides to audit your HSA use.

Or, you can wait until you are 65 and then use it on whatever you want.

rebel1916

That's the point. Our priorities are all wrong.

svtmike

Agree 100%. To think a person shouldn't lead a healthy lifestyle unless it is subsidized is all out of whack. We should all be reimbursed for every mile we ride.

rebel1916

The problem is that insurance is set up to pay for very expensive treatments after your body starts to fail, but does not pay for inexpensive preventative measures that might stop the body from failing. Primary care physicians make the kind of money that HS principals or cops make. Heart surgeons make beaucoup bucks. As well they should, but we would be bettered served spending money to make sure it doesn't get to that point.

svtmike

I think the problem is too many people aren't willing to make the effort to be healthy and fit.

I exercise and I paid for my own bike fit because I enjoy cycling and how it makes me feel, and I believe that it will save me money on my own health care in the long run even though I have to buck up for it. If my medical insurance doesn't cover it, that's just how it is. They have to draw the line somewhere.

rebel1916

Yeah, but you end up paying more, due to increased premiums, because we spend more on putting out fires than we do preventing them.

svtmike

Insurance coverage doesn't turn the pedals. Too many people just aren't interested enough in their own health to eat right and exercise, even if ordered by their doctor. The insurance coverage is irrelevant.

rebel1916

Yep, you are 100% correct. But we need to start reimagining stuff in order to make the whole social contract work. More emphasis on prevention can only help. I'm gonna stfu now though before I get perma banished to P&R or something!

evan938

well, this definitely sparked some discussion. LOL...i scheduled the fit for next Monday, 3/11. its the soonest he had available. i wanted to get it done ASAP after going out today with my new road shoes and having some pain in my feet. I have NO clue if i put my cleats in correctly, and luckily the fit includes cleat adjustment, so I want to get it corrected sooner rather than later.I'm going to check on using my HSA funds. if not, i'll just pay out of pocket. It's not a huge deal, just figured I'd give it a shot since I've got the funds available.

alpha_bravo

At first thought I rolled my eyes at this post. But after thinking about it a bit more, this doesn't sound that crazy to me at all. My health insurance (Fed Blue Cross Blue Shield) pays $30 a month towards a gym membership at certain gyms (only Curves is covered here). To the best of my knowledge no one checks up on you to make sure you're attending.

If I was an insurance company, a one time basic bike fit would be a cheaper investment in my clients health especially if I could strike a deal with a big Nationwide shop like Performance or REI.

evan938

i wish, my old job covered up to like 1/2 of a gym membership or like $200/yr (cant remember). and guess what? i had a memebership the whole time i had that savings available, and having to pay for it monthly, even 1/2 of it, made me go a few times a week.

i agree though. if a fit can get me more comfortable, riding more, promoting good health, how is that different than paying towards a gym membership?