Medical Bills

[LaveyJet]

Ten days ago my daughter was in a single car roll over accident. (ThatÂ’s a phone call I hope no one ever gets, but thatÂ’s another story). Anyway, aside of having the Sh*t scared out of her, sheÂ’s ok. Just a few bumps and bruises, side air bags worked fine. She was taken to Loma Linda University hospital around midnight. They ran some tests made sure she was ok and kept her for observation, finally releasing her around 3 the next afternoon. We just got a copy of the bill. 15 hours in the hospital, $24,000. :jawdrop:
She was in emergency the whole time. Of course insurance will cover it, but that is f’ing ridicules! For that she had an IV. Xrays and a Cat scan. I can’t help but wonder how many “Illegals” visits are being subsidized with that payment.

[schlepy]

thank god that your daughter is ok and thank god for insurance. i had a big shoulder surgery and got a copy of the bill, over 80k. something needs to happen with medical costs.... what the hell happens to people with no insurance? i cant imagine getting no help from a hospital or a huge bill that would bankrupt you!

[phuggit]

"I can’t help but wonder how many “Illegals” visits are being subsidized with that payment."
Exactly!

[Racer277]

Most of the time insurance co are contracted with the hospital, drs office, etc., meaning they only pay 1/4 to 1/2 of the charged rate. :idea:
Mrs.Racer277

[dale459us]

racer277....your figures are way off...did you mean they right off 1/4 of the bill? There is a contract between each of the providers (hospital & insurance)
as what is exceptable payment. The rest is wrote off. Never will they deduct such a huge amount like 1/2 or even a 1/4. we could only wish

[MRS. MAINEVENT]

When MAINEVENT and I had our triplets the 4 days I was in there plus my c-section/delivery was 1.3 mill!!!!! They were in the hospital for 3 weeks before coming home and that was another 900,000.....thank goodness for insurance :cool:
Glad that your daughter is o.k. :)

[1978 Rogers]

Our son was born last year. I started to feel kinda sick the day we took him home. I asked for an Alka Seltzer to calm my stomach. We asked for an itemized billing. I was charged $3.50 for a single tablet of Alka Seltzer. Not even a twin pack.
It's good to hear you daughter was OK. Those phone calls are no good.

[Lightning]

Insurance costs are redicoulous, it's a never ending cycle of costs that have been pushed from the drug companies, to hospitals, to the doctors, to the porfits of the medical centers, and finally to the consumers. Think of all the lawsuits relating to medical, imagine what their workers comp insurance bill is along with other liability.

[bigd1]

Hospital bill are like the window sticker on a new car. Nobody ever pays that amount. Most hospitals are per-diem nowadays, meaning the insurance company negotiates a rate per night like a hotel and that's it. They make money on some, lose on others.

[1978 Rogers]

Our sons birth cost $15,000 last year. It was a natural birth, nothing out of the ordinary. They were in the hospital for 2 nights. We had to pay about $2,000 out of pocket.
"When MAINEVENT and I had our triplets the 4 days I was in there plus my c-section/delivery was 1.3 mill!!!!!" :eek: :eek: :eek: Damn that is a lot of money.

[schlepy]

i new i should have been a doctor...

[1978 Rogers]

[QUOTE=LaveyJet]ThatÂ’s a phone call I hope no one ever gets, but thatÂ’s another story.
I had a friend, Eric that was hit by a drunk driver in Eastern Wash back in the early 90's. His folks were camping by the Columbia River in Centeral Wash at the time. A state patrolman tracked them down and told them the news in person that there son was in an accident and might not make it through the night. His folks had to drive 2 hours to Spokane to the hospital without knowing the true condition of Eric. Eric had to stay in the hospital for a month, but he made it through. I can't imagine what his parents were thinking during that drive or what you went through when you got the phone call.

[MRS. MAINEVENT]

Our sons birth cost $15,000 last year. It was a natural birth, nothing out of the ordinary. They were in the hospital for 2 nights. We had to pay about $2,000 out of pocket.
"When MAINEVENT and I had our triplets the 4 days I was in there plus my c-section/delivery was 1.3 mill!!!!!" :eek: :eek: :eek: Damn that is a lot of money.
I couldn't agree with you more. Our situation was unusual but that was just absurd to see those kinds of figures. The insurance that MAIN carries now is an 80/20 through his employer and I'm just grateful that we weren't using that when they were born :2purples:

[chub]

I know what you mean about the phone call. My poor wife and parents got that @ 0300 5 years ago and had to drive from HB Ca. to Pheonix being told I had major facial trauma and may not make it thru the night. That one week stay cost my insuranse 300K and another 350K for the titanium jaw installation. Screws included of course. :rolleyes:

[Racer277]

racer277....your figures are way off...did you mean they right off 1/4 of the bill? There is a contract between each of the providers (hospital & insurance as what is exceptable payment. The rest is wrote off. Never will they deduct such a huge amount like 1/2 or even a 1/4. we could only wish
Actually some of the insurance co. we contract with (my employer) on a $69.00 office bill we get paid $30.00. Now I understand that is our contract and not all contract the same way. And as far as third party we get 1/4 to 1/2 the amount we bill and actually write off the remaining balance. I also realize not all medical establishments work this way. I know my parents paid a fortune when my sister had an accident and was in a coma for over a week. :frown:
Mrs. Racer277

[bonesfab]

hospital bills are a joke. i went to e.r. for an eye infection (oozing puss) on a saturday about noon. waited for 6.5 hours before being seen. x-rays to make sure nothing in it. came back clean. prescribes two ointments at 180.00 for the pair. went home about 8:30 p.m. eye is feeling worse after the ointments. go back on sunday for a check up and no better. get some killer eye drops. just drops not the bottle. the bill for both days was 2500.00 no insurance. still not right. go to the opthmalogist on monday. get another 85.00 prescription and 150.00 visit its better. go figure.... it was 90.00 for the eye drops it was like 5-10 drops not the bottle. thats my rant. i'll shut up now..... :mad:

[rsoscia]

Broke my right ankle a while ago and they charged 580.25 per screw in my leg, i got 14 ,the bill for the hardware was over 12000.00, right go to home depot and i'll get ya 1000 screws for 50bucks and i'll sterilize them my self. These hospitols charge what ever they want,needless to say im fighting them on this bill

[topless]

They even bill you for their mistakes. My daughter broke her foot so I took her to the ER. The nurse ordered an x ray of her ankle that of course didn't show the break. The Doctor told it wasn't broken. I had to tell then it wasn't her ankle anyway, it is her FOOT. They ordered a foot x ray this time and of course billed me for both.

[91nordic29]

When MAINEVENT and I had our triplets the 4 days I was in there plus my c-section/delivery was 1.3 mill!!!!! They were in the hospital for 3 weeks before coming home and that was another 900,000.....thank goodness for insurance :cool:
Glad that your daughter is o.k. :)
OMIGAWD!!! :sqeyes:

[moneypit]

Doctor bills have nothing to do with the problem... These doctors only bill what is usual and customary for the profession in there demographic area. The problem lies in re-imbursement. It doesnt matter what insurance company is involved , Healthcare, Auto whatever... Insurance companies are making a run for it.. Dont you realize that your premiums have only risen over the years? Don't you realize that your coverage is lessened? Don't you realize that doctors...car mechanics are being paid less for what they do? SO who's winning..? Thats right... Lawyers. These Insurance compaines have brought attorneys on the the payroll to keep the costs down. These insurance companies have expert witnesses on staff now. When's the last time that you ever heard of someone in an auto collsion ever making what they deserved from pain and suffering? Years...
Im a health care provider. The HMO business is rich. These companies may say that they will give you benefits but you have to beg borry and plead to get them.. I treat patients daily.. I bill what Im aloud to bill. I make a living. I wont get rich from it.. and I see 50 patients a day.
THe percentage of what I get for a patient visit varies from company to company. But Just because my bill has a certain amount doesnt mean i will get it. Legally I have to put on the bill every thing that I do to the patient, even though I know I won't get paid for it. Im on certain HMO plans that tell me what Im going to make per visit.. Even if I spend an hour with that patient I still get the same amount. Im not crying about it, its just the way it is..
This is a big reason that you see doctors in the same office now.. Its not like it used to be when you could go see your own doctor in his own office.. They are grouped together.. I am lucky to have my own facility..
I just laugh when people say that doctors are way too expensive.. I think a doctor is as good as then treatment he gives. Too bad they dont get paid that way...

[LaveyJet]

I have no problem with Dr. earning their pay, I look at it as "it's not what you do, but what you know", and Drs know a lot and should be paid accordingly. I have a problem with the hospital billing. There was one line item, "level II trauma care = $11,000" what does that mean? The bill is more because she was taken to a regional traums center?

[moneypit]

I cant answer for Emergency bils. I can understand the shock though... When I rolled my sandrail in the havasu desert in 1990. I nearly lost my left arm. After two surgeries and a week in Havasu's finest hospital I was deep in bills. I had two insurance that took their time not paying the bills. Eventually the hospital started sending them to me...

[GBLASER]

:burningm: OK here's my rant. Memorial day weekend I get fishing line around my pump, I reach down to pull it away, not knowing that the guy on shore had spooled out and had pressure on the line, the hook shot into my thumb. He was pulling and I was screaming quit pulling. Luckly the line broke.
I tried for an hour to get it out with no luck, it had gone straight in. OK now I have 2 options, drive an hour or 2 to the nearest urgent care or have it removed at the hospital. We tried to call the # on my insurance card, no answer so we called the hospital to which they said that it needed to be removed immediately. We proceeded to the hospital, a couple of shots to the finger and one to my ass, I am on my way out with a bottle of peroxide.
Now the bills come, $28 for the peroxide $250 for the shot in my ass and a total of $1500+ for a half hour in the emergency room. OH! then the doctors bill. another $375. My insurance pays about $250 since the hospital has a contract with blue shield and I have a $2000 deductable. (had I driven to an urgent care my co-pay would have been $45, but my finger probably would have fallen off.) My wife files a complaint saying that we had no other choice and that the nearest urgent care was 2 hours away. They replied that we made the right choice but they would not change their rulling.
I GUARANTEE THAT I AM PAYING FOR THE UNDOCUMENTED FARM LABORERS IN BLYTHE THAT HAVE NO INSURANCE AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE.

[Racer277]

Doctor bills have nothing to do with the problem... These doctors only bill what is usual and customary for the profession in there demographic area. The problem lies in re-imbursement. It doesnt matter what insurance company is involved , Healthcare, Auto whatever... Insurance companies are making a run for it.. Dont you realize that your premiums have only risen over the years? Don't you realize that your coverage is lessened? Don't you realize that doctors...car mechanics are being paid less for what they do? SO who's winning..? Thats right... Lawyers. These Insurance compaines have brought attorneys on the the payroll to keep the costs down. These insurance companies have expert witnesses on staff now. When's the last time that you ever heard of someone in an auto collsion ever making what they deserved from pain and suffering? Years...
Im a health care provider. The HMO business is rich. These companies may say that they will give you benefits but you have to beg borry and plead to get them.. I treat patients daily.. I bill what Im aloud to bill. I make a living. I wont get rich from it.. and I see 50 patients a day.
THe percentage of what I get for a patient visit varies from company to company. But Just because my bill has a certain amount doesnt mean i will get it. Legally I have to put on the bill every thing that I do to the patient, even though I know I won't get paid for it. Im on certain HMO plans that tell me what Im going to make per visit.. Even if I spend an hour with that patient I still get the same amount. Im not crying about it, its just the way it is..
This is a big reason that you see doctors in the same office now.. Its not like it used to be when you could go see your own doctor in his own office.. They are grouped together.. I am lucky to have my own facility..
I just laugh when people say that doctors are way too expensive.. I think a doctor is as good as then treatment he gives. Too bad they dont get paid that way...
Thank you for that explanation. That is what I was trying to say in my earlier post before I was told I was wrong. I have many MD friends and they are not getting rich and they all work their a$$ off. Health insurance co. are making the profits these days.
Mrs.Racer277