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]

Re: Hospital Bill

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]

Re: Hospital Bill

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]

Re: Hospital Bill

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]

Re: Hospital Bill

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]

Re: Hospital Bill

ummmm, I'm telllinnnnnG

[MrsChambers]

Re: Hospital Bill

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]

Re: Hospital Bill

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]

Re: Hospital Bill

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]

Re: Hospital Bill

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]

Re: Hospital Bill

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]

Re: Hospital Bill

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]

Re: Hospital Bill

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]

Re: Hospital Bill

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]

Re: Hospital Bill

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