Hospital Bill

[MrsChambers]

So in Feb. I stabbed myself with a screwdriver messing with the damn vacuum... anyhow.. I went to the hospital and had a 200.00 bill that wasn't covered by the insurance.

So I lost the bill and it needs to get paid, so I call the hospital to get the total, and she tells me that sense I am paying it in full, that they can offer a 20% discount!!

now this isn't the first hospital bill that I have paid, and there is NOTHING on the bill that indicates that there may be a discount available.. so

CALL YOUR HOSPITAL and see if they have some kind of discount that you can take advantge of. I would have never known if I hadn't lost that bill.

WOOT WOOT

[kashi]

wow!! that is amazing. I had no idea. I am definitely going to try that next time.

I hope your stab wound has healed! ouch.

[terry1156]

Originally Posted by MrsChambers

So in Feb. I stabbed myself with a screwdriver messing with the damn vacuum... anyhow.. I went to the hospital and had a 200.00 bill that wasn't covered by the insurance.

Screwdrivers are dangerous! I put one through my hand putting in a new door a few years ago - tetnus shot, 4 stitches and $120 poorer, I found that trying to save money fixing things myself doesn't always work out to be that way

[PRICEPLUS]

Wow! Sounds like a good deal. Maybe people should ask everywhere for a discount if the pay cash and or in full! Can't hurt! The worst they can say is no.

[Russell]

Ouch indeed!

I've had my share of self inflicted injuries since I enjoy wrenching on cars. Luckily I haven't been too badly injured so far. Although once I did get pinned between the car and the wall as it slid backward while I was trying to position the floor jack under it. I was able to push the car forward and never told anyone about it, until now. I hope the wife isn't reading this msg board

Hope you are healing well.

[MrsChambers]

ummmm, I'm telllinnnnnG

[MrsChambers]

This is kind of funny in a morbid way... we should change this thread to the self inflicted wounds thread...LOL..

damn Russell, your lucky to tell your story

[loveofpets]

On another note re: hospital bills...

If you have major surgery, be sure to get a detailed copy of your bill once it goes to insurance. My ex-roommate had to have emergency gall bladder surgery, with some complications. She was not financially stable, and had minimal insurance coverage. When she got the bill, she showed it to me. They charged her 3 TIMES for a pregnancy test - there is no way she could be pregnant, and she told the hospital that (I was with her).

Even though the bill was eventually written off due to her financial status, that floored me.

In 2000, I went to Cleveland Clinic and had open heart surgery -- my insurance covered 98% of it (boy, was I grateful!), and even then, I got a detailed bill from Cleveland Clinic - I had a few questions - but the detail was perfect as were the charges - everything made sense, where my roommate's situation it didn't make sense!

[Tree0164]

Always watch the hospital bills.

I have twins and when they were premature and spent 2 months in the hospital. I had to fight alot with the hospital because they were not sending the bills to the insurance company correctly. Let having one of the specialist that saw my sons billed the day before their birth. Insurance coverage doesn't start until they are date they are born. Also they would bill 2 procedures for the same baby rather than both so that would get rejected.

I am still fighting wiht the insurance company and hospital on a couple of issues. One the dumbest things I heard was that I was lying and you could not have 2 children born on the same day.

[skipper]

I too have fought with my local hospital several times once over my daughter they sent her home with a fever and abdominal pain refusing my request for a urinalysis two days later had to take her back to hospital they gave her the urinalysis I requested she had a sever bladder infection I refused to pay the first bill and had that Dr. repremanded they did remove the first charges never take what the hospital says to be golden you can fight them and win.

[zakity]

I have twins also and mine were born on different days (idiot medical staff, 5 hours apart, one came 2 min after midnight). I have had problems with stuff since they were born. I just finally got the dental insurance to recognize that there are two of them!! I offered to take the two down there physically to prove it. I started watching all medical/dental bills closely.

[Cautious Spender]

I've also heard that persons with no insurance always pay more since there is no one to negociate price as there is with large insurance companies. This applies even if the bill is paid in full. I tought it should be less since there are no insurance papers to complete. Somehow, I think this is unfair.

[BillsGirl]

My hospital bill from when I had a c-section with my daughter is $600 and they are hounding me worse than debt collectors for the money (they're bad) and they are sending me letters saying he well settle the debt for like half just to get me to pay it! So you'de be surprised what they would do to know they're getting they're money!

[jmjj215]

I've also heard that persons with no insurance always pay more since there is no one to negociate price as there is with large insurance companies. This applies even if the bill is paid in full. I tought it should be less since there are no insurance papers to complete. Somehow, I think this is unfair.

To that CS, I've also heard the hospitals are a bit more "frugal" with you if they know you don't have insurance. When my aunt and uncle had their baby they made it very clear that they didn't have insurance and were on a tight budget (luckily everything went normally). The nurses were very good about asking about everything to make sure they really wanted it.

OTH, when my son was born, the nurse asked me, a brand new father, if we wanted to use a bit of sugar water to help him begin nursing. So I say yeah, of course, he's my son, do anything to help him. Well, that tiny little 1 oz. bottle of sugar water that we used half of? It cost $12.

We've had our share of battles with the hospital. Always ask these types of places (dentists work too) about an up-front discount. Don't phrase it, "Do you have a discount", say, "How much is the discount because I'm paying it all up front?" - Make a healthy assumption

[PrincessPerky]

OT - Sugar water doesn't help nursing, not a good thing for babies in need of colustrum. (not a good thing for any baby!)

[BillsGirl]

Hospitals are very to work with you if you do not have insurance, when I was 20 I was making a fair amount of money for a 20 year old with no schooling and I had somtach pains so with no insurance I went to the hospital come to find out it was my appendix which is very costly with no insurance my bill was $23,000 when all was said and done I got a letter from the hospital about 2 weeks after the surgery saying Hey we know you can't pay don't worry about it we clear the debt from your name and we'll use you as a tax credit!!

[mjrube94]

Wow, Bills Girl, you're lucky to have had such a great experience. On Sunday, our paper had a big article about how the uninsured/underinsured get screwed so badly by hospitals, because they get charged the full rate, versus the low negotiated rate that the insurance companies get. They told the story of one man who suffered several strokes, and it was terrible to read about how the hospital sent collection agencies after him when he couldn't pay. The hospital's response: they have bills to pay and if they don't get their money, they won't be around to help the next sick person. True, I suppose, but harsh to read...

[jmjj215]

That whole thing about insurance companies "negotiating down" prices really bugs me though. A doctor, let's say, normally charges $50 per visit. But because he knows the insurance companies want to be able to say to their customers that they negotiate down prices, he lists his service at $90. The insurance company then negotiates that "price" down to $50 so the doctor is happy, and the insurance company is happy. In the mean time, you have the uninsured who have to pay $90 ?! This happens all the time. If I were a general practictioner I would try so hard to not associate w/ the insurance companies. Maybe I would go on a cash up-front plan, and offer discounted rates. I could still make as much as other doctors because I wouldn't need 1-3 full-time people handling stupid insurance claims. All cash, all the time.. (sorry for the rant)

[BillsGirl]

wow mjrube, I never really thought I was all that lucky until I read that, I figured what they did to me was pretty common?? It's kinda sad the uninsured gets treated that way!! There are low cost clinics, I was debating wether or not to take myself to one when I had my sotmach pains and when I spoke to a nurse she told me she thought it was appndix or kidney stones and told me to get to an er right away! apart from the low cost clinics there are also low cost doctors (my aunt goes to one) that charge low flat fees for people with no insurance who need to see a doc!

[PrincessPerky]

Im with you Jmjj, If I were a doc I couldn't in clear conscinese charge different people different amounts, I'd be so a straight fee kindof gal. And yep prolly lower than the insurance negotiated rates, since we wouldn't have to charge extra for the full time insurance people.