Hospital Math has gotten out of Control

[Jeannine]

http://www.thedurhamnews.com/2011/06/15/207204/hospital-math-has-gotten-out-of.html

[barbara]

My husband broke his wrist last winter. It has been an absolute nightmare dealing with the bills which to date total close to $12000.00. We have gotten stacks of bills from various places. Anyone that even glanced at him seems to be sending a bill. He broke it on a Sunday which sent him to an emergency clinic which charged over $5000 just for walking in the door. They couldn't set it, so he then had to go to a surgeon the following day. He has had problems ever since as it wasn't set properly so he now is in rehab.
Some are billing even though our insurance paid them already. It's a real mess. We have a $6000 deductible we had to pay plus there is a limit on rehab so that comes out of pocket. He goes to rehab 3 times a week. The one rehabber only works the first part of the week, so he has another one for Fridays. Of course, they bill separately. It's been an eye opener. A person really has to thoroughly pay attention to the bills because we have had many duplicate bills sent as well as those that were already paid. We also had one for services not rendered.

[yorkere]

I know that many of us would have our own stories to tell; here's my brief experience:

A few years back I had to go the ER of a nearby hospital; while there the difficulty started to disappear just as I was being prepared for IV morphine for the pain...the ER doctor wanted me to stay overnight for observation. I foolishly consented without asking what the cost was... all I did was sleep overnight, no treatment, no looking after me, nothing but a sleep-over...

The bill was $10,700, and this hospital was not part of my insurance PPO...the insurance did negotiate the price down to $7000, of which I had to pay ~$2100...

Lesson Learned: try HARD to be careful; inquire about COSTS prior to taking a jump....

Most of us are stuck in a national medical situation which is an ongoing and worsening nightmare...I sense some kind of crash heading straight for us...

Robert

[barbara]

That's a horrible story. For that kind of money, you could have taken a lavish vacation and dined like a king.