Scammers

SPedigrees

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I got a call from supposedly IL Medicare/Medicaid about choosing a plan or they would choose it For me.
I asked what the deadline was--we all know the deadline is December 7th.
Caller said she would tell me That if I gave her my Medicare# or my SS#.
I told her, the she called me...I would let her know.
The site was real enough...
You cannot sleep through these calls if you are caught off guard and answer them!
Fortunately for ME, one of my care nurses gave me a local referral who will be out next week to advise me.
I have emailed/contacted them and got a response.
They will get a $kickback, but they know more about this than I do!
I signed up in February, so I missed this opportunity in 2023.
Be careful. Medicare would never contact anyone by phone. If you have questions go to their actual website or call them using their official phone number or official website that is printed on their official literature or on your Medicare card. Never give out your SS or Medicare # over the phone to anyone who calls you; this is how phishing scammers get your information.

Unless you are talking about a supplemental policy, but even then they would typically send paperwork.
 
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SPedigrees

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@SPedigrees and @Shades-of-Oregon

I couldn't find an independent vets but tracked back too a vets I originally used.

They only have locums. But apparently the locums all loves animals especially the guy we are booked to see next Tuesday. I spoke to a nurse that I had met before, who spent over 37 minutes of their time explaining everything to me

I have taken out a wellness cover which actually save me £37 because I don't have to pay for the consultation.

This nurse told me that my cat had problems with his teeth back in may 2020 and it was too be expected that they would eventually come a way.
Remember this is a cat rescue, so he was left to his own devices for approximately a year too 18 months and had been attacked by a vile man that we know of.

His temperature will be taken and his tummy will be checked for free, because of this wellness cover. Then I requested a thorough blood test checking out his organs including thyroid. Basically that is all I am paying for at the moment.

To be honest I accidentally rang my previous vet by mistake and I am so pleased I did. It was a huge relief speaking too that lovely nurse again ☺️

I'll sleep tonight. Huge sigh of relief
Catching a little sun in my window
View attachment 70843

He enjoyed his meal this morning
View attachment 70842
I'm glad things are looking better for your cat. He looks very comfortable in that sunny window. I'm guessing that the locums in your country must be something like a physician's assistant or a veterinary technician here in the US, and both can do many of the things that a doctor or veterinarian can. So it seems kitty is in good hands, better than that corporate place by far.
 

Marie2020

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@Marie2020 so sorry to hear of your kitty’s issues. Very sad when our pets are sick they can’t tell us where they are in pain.
Thank you for your time in reading about him, it's very much appreciated

I'm thinking that his slowing down is due to osteoarthritis. He's lost a lot of his cartilage in his shoulders. Because he was an outdoor cat in the beginning he's always wanted to be outside, even in the rain. He was stubborn and wouldn't come inside when called
So I believe this arthritis has now flared up.
He is having difficulty in going to the toilet so this is an issue that has to be addressed.

Through a online vet I found a good mineral and vitamins powder but there is a problem with this now because he's lost interest in his food. This started when the dog passed away. So I'm taking him to this vets I mentioned today instead of next week because, I'm really concerned about him.
 

Marie2020

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I'm glad things are looking better for your cat. He looks very comfortable in that sunny window. I'm guessing that the locums in your country must be something like a physician's assistant or a veterinary technician here in the US, and both can do many of the things that a doctor or veterinarian can. So it seems kitty is in good hands, better than that corporate place by far.
Sadly we have had no choice but to use a corporate vet, because they have taken over most of our veterinary clinics. But for now I'm hoping this vet will be an improvement. Even the reception in the last vets was depressing.

The several staff looked like they hated where they were and hardly spoke to anyone. Except for booking appointments telling you too take a seat and taking money.

I'm not looking forward to the new vets they'll be employing, not if the last insult to veterinary care we encountered is to go by.
 

Marie2020

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From what little information I could gather some of our vets were people that came into our country from abroad and they were forced to leave. This has caused a huge gap in our medical services overall.
 

Marie2020

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Update: He has had an examination . He's lost a kilo in weight and his 💩 is hard inside him.
He managed too pass a few little hard 💩 s this morning.

The locum said he felt a small lump in his intestine and prescribed lactose.
He also administered fluids into him. Even though he's drinking he must have appeared dehydrated.

Currently waiting to see what the blood results show and praying that this lactose releases what is inside his intestine

I looked up what this fluid might have been and I believe it to be electrolytes. So I have just made some up myself, himalayan salt honey and a squeeze of lemon. I wasn't sure he would touch it, but he's had a good drink of this and ate a pouch of food with some chickens breast.

Probiotic liquid for cats has been ordered but he's had a little Greek yogurt yesterday and this morning... I don't want to give him too much of this but it enticed him too eat.
 

SPedigrees

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From what little information I could gather some of our vets were people that came into our country from abroad and they were forced to leave. This has caused a huge gap in our medical services overall.
Government messing around with health care systems - we have the same sort of problems here, made worse by our for-profit health care structure.
 

SPedigrees

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Update: He has had an examination . He's lost a kilo in weight and his 💩 is hard inside him.
He managed too pass a few little hard 💩 s this morning.

The locum said he felt a small lump in his intestine and prescribed lactose.
He also administered fluids into him. Even though he's drinking he must have appeared dehydrated.

Currently waiting to see what the blood results show and praying that this lactose releases what is inside his intestine

I looked up what this fluid might have been and I believe it to be electrolytes. So I have just made some up myself, himalayan salt honey and a squeeze of lemon. I wasn't sure he would touch it, but he's had a good drink of this and ate a pouch of food with some chickens breast.

Probiotic liquid for cats has been ordered but he's had a little Greek yogurt yesterday and this morning... I don't want to give him too much of this but it enticed him too eat.
It sounds like fluids would help him more than anything. That is something that a locum could easily do. I used to give sub-cutaneous fluids to my elderly cats whose kidneys were no longer working very well, and it helped them a great deal. Maybe you could take him for fluid treatment once or twice a week.
 
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