Surprise Emergency Room Bill (1 Viewer)

[Optimus Prime]

How is this even legal?
==================
ATLANTA - A woman said she was billed for a trip to the emergency room, even though she didn't receive any treatment.

Taylor Davis said she went to the Emory Decatur Hospital ER in July for a head injury.

She sat in the waiting room for hours, but with no end in sight, she decided to leave.

"I sat there for seven hours. There's no way I should be sitting in an emergency room.. an emergency room for seven hours," she said.

A couple of weeks later, a surprise came in her mailbox.

It was a bill from the hospital for nearly $700.

"I didn't get my vitals taken, nobody called my name. I wasn't seen at all," Davis said.

Davis said she was convinced it was a mistake.

"So I called them and she said it's hospital protocol even if you're just walking in and you're not seen. When you type in your social, that's it. You're going to get charged regardless," she said.

She said she was told it was an emergency room visit fee or a facility fee as it is called in some cases.

It's often added to a person's total hospital bill, so it might not be as noticeable as it is in this case.

An email sent to Davis by an Emory Healthcare patient financial services employee states "You get charged before you are seen. Not for being seen." ……

Woman billed $700 after sitting in ER waiting room for 7 hours, leaving without treatment

A woman says she was billed for a trip to the emergency room, even though she didn't receive any treatment.

www.fox5atlanta.com

 

[hotairgypsy]

wow...that is all i can say...bad enough they never looked at her in the 7 hours she was there but have the nerve to bill her...thats some bs there

 

[brandon8283]

Our healthcare system is a joke, and anyone who thinks MFA won't be a drastic upgrade from what we have now is lying to themselves.

I have a story that's not quite as extreme as the one above, but not far off.

A few years back, around 3AM, my wife began having an allergic reaction to something. Her face began to swell and turned red and splotchy. I gave her a couple of benadryl to help with the symptoms and we kept an eye out.

However, a few minutes later, her tongue began to swell and her throat started to tighten. In case this was the beginnings of anaphylaxis, I took her to the emergency room.

We explained the symptoms and because it was so early, we got a room fairly quickly. However, we basically sat in that room alone for another hour waiting on a doctor. Thankfully, by that time, the benadryl seemed to have had some effect, and her symptoms were starting to subside.

When the doctor finally came in, he looked her over and said "Yep, it does look like she had an allergic reaction. The benadryl was a good idea." We were sent home with no treatment or prescription (as her symptoms were improving), no recommendations as to what could have caused the reaction, and a total time with the doctor of less than 5 minutes.

We received a bill a few weeks later for nearly $900. With insurance.

 

[efil4stnias]

Our healthcare system is a joke, and anyone who thinks MFA won't be a drastic upgrade from what we have now is lying to themselves.

I have a story that's not quite as extreme as the one above, but not far off.

A few years back, around 3AM, my wife began having an allergic reaction to something. Her face began to swell and turned red and splotchy. I gave her a couple of benadryl to help with the symptoms and we kept an eye out.

However, a few minutes later, her tongue began to swell and her throat started to tighten. In case this was the beginnings of anaphylaxis, I took her to the emergency room.

We explained the symptoms and because it was so early, we got a room fairly quickly. However, we basically sat in that room alone for another hour waiting on a doctor. Thankfully, by that time, the benadryl seemed to have had some effect, and her symptoms were starting to subside.

When the doctor finally came in, he looked her over and said "Yep, it does look like she had an allergic reaction. The benadryl was a good idea." We were sent home with no treatment or prescription (as her symptoms were improving), no recommendations as to what could have cost the reaction, and a total time with the doctor of less than 5 minutes.

We received a bill a few weeks later for nearly $900. With insurance.

And the little known part to all that is folks think the ER docs make all the $$$. They dont. Its the Hospital owner group. Which is consolidating every year. Pretty soon will only have 2-3 main players in the US.

I remember my surgery - i received 3 separate billings- one for the surgery center where it took place, one for the surgeon ( group) and one for the anesthesia

now the anesthesia i had 2 charges- and it was explained to me that one was for the anesthesiologist who administered ( in the room ) and the other was for the head anesthesiologist - who was there in the event something went wrong.

And as it turns out, the head anesthesiologist was also part OWNER of the Surgery Center.

 

[Brad Mojo]

"You get charged before you are seen. Not for being seen."

Ugh

 

[Optimus Prime]

from the article
============

Emory Healthcare sent the following statement:

"Emory Healthcare takes all patient concerns seriously and appreciates this has been brought to our attention. Our teams are currently looking into this matter and will follow up directly with the individual."

======================

Translation: Due to the negative press attention we will forgive this woman's bill and add fake apologies and empty promises that we'll make sure it doesn't happen again

 

[Optimus Prime]

How long before they start charging people in the waiting room?

Not the sick/injured people waiting to be seen, but the people with them for taking up a chair

 

[Paul]

There’s another thing regarding the ER that I often caution our workforce about, especially during Open Enrollment each year. Many times, the ER doctor(s) are out of network. The hospital may be in-network, but always ask if the treating physician is. If they treat you and are not in-network, prepare for a huge, uncovered bill and a lot of headaches.

 

[Brad Mojo]

There’s another thing regarding the ER that I often caution our workforce about, especially during Open Enrollment each year. Many times, the ER doctor(s) are out of network. The hospital may be in-network, but always ask if the treating physician is. If they treat you and are not in-network, prepare for a huge, uncovered bill and a lot of headaches.

Dang. So many things you need to keep track of at the time when you are least likely to remember due to the inherent stress of an emergency situation.

Even if I did remember to ask this question, I'm certainly not going to tell my little girl she has to wait for the shift change to get her broken leg treated.

 

[Madmarsha]

Years ago I went to the ER because I was throwing up all day. They asked, "Are you pregnant?" I said, "Well, haven't had sex in 6 months so I doubt it." "We better check anyway." So, I took a pregnancy test. Results were negative. I wish my response would have been, "One of us doesn't understand how conception works."

Never did find out why I was puking but it stopped. With all these horror stories, I'm never going to the ER again unless I'm unconscious and somebody drives me there.

 

[efil4stnias]

There’s another thing regarding the ER that I often caution our workforce about, especially during Open Enrollment each year. Many times, the ER doctor(s) are out of network. The hospital may be in-network, but always ask if the treating physician is. If they treat you and are not in-network, prepare for a huge, uncovered bill and a lot of headaches.

so much this- the ER doc may be attached to ANOTHER group that is out of network.

its a web and convoluted on purpose.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Years ago I went to the ER because I was throwing up all day. They asked, "Are you pregnant?" I said, "Well, haven't had sex in 6 months so I doubt it." "We better check anyway." So, I took a pregnancy test. Results were negative. I wish my response would have been, "One of us doesn't understand how conception works."

Never did find out why I was puking but it stopped. With all these horror stories, I'm never going to the ER again unless I'm unconscious and somebody drives me there.

How much did they charge for the test?

 

[Optimus Prime]

Dang. So many things you need to keep track of at the time when you are least likely to remember due to the inherent stress of an emergency situation.

Even if I did remember to ask this question, I'm certainly not going to tell my little girl she has to wait for the shift change to get her broken leg treated.

and what if you're unconscious or are in too much pain to answer any questions?

 

[Optimus Prime]

Our healthcare system is a joke, and anyone who thinks MFA won't be a drastic upgrade from what we have now is lying to themselves.

I have a story that's not quite as extreme as the one above, but not far off.

A few years back, around 3AM, my wife began having an allergic reaction to something. Her face began to swell and turned red and splotchy. I gave her a couple of benadryl to help with the symptoms and we kept an eye out.

However, a few minutes later, her tongue began to swell and her throat started to tighten. In case this was the beginnings of anaphylaxis, I took her to the emergency room.

We explained the symptoms and because it was so early, we got a room fairly quickly. However, we basically sat in that room alone for another hour waiting on a doctor. Thankfully, by that time, the benadryl seemed to have had some effect, and her symptoms were starting to subside.

When the doctor finally came in, he looked her over and said "Yep, it does look like she had an allergic reaction. The benadryl was a good idea." We were sent home with no treatment or prescription (as her symptoms were improving), no recommendations as to what could have caused the reaction, and a total time with the doctor of less than 5 minutes.

We received a bill a few weeks later for nearly $900. With insurance.

it's like that old engineering joke

Charge for telling you that you'll be okay and don't need any treatment or medication - $10.00

Charge for knowing that you'll be okay and don't need any treatment or medication - $890.00

 

[Paul]

Years ago I went to the ER because I was throwing up all day. They asked, "Are you pregnant?" I said, "Well, haven't had sex in 6 months so I doubt it." "We better check anyway." So, I took a pregnancy test. Results were negative. I wish my response would have been, "One of us doesn't understand how conception works."

Never did find out why I was puking but it stopped. With all these horror stories, I'm never going to the ER again unless I'm unconscious and somebody drives me there.

Paul’s Snowballs, Sweetshop, Chicken and Waffle & Emergency Room Joint.

Hit me up next time, Marsha!