Surprise Emergency Room Bill (1 Viewer)

[brandon8283]

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

Charge with Medicare for All - $0.00

 

[mjcouvi]

I'd rather go to a hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, as a non-citizen in a "developing country," instead of a hospital in the US. I've been there, it's better in every way I can imagine and less expensive even without insurance, even in a private hospital.

 

[mjcouvi]

And none of the healthcare workers are obese, another nice thing about Thailand. And usually hot nurses, not wearing scrubs, but nice uniforms (not a sexual thing, but just not a bunch of sloppy looking scrubs who take no pride in their appearance). And they're all really nice, doctors and nurses.

Superficial of me? maybe. How I like my HEALTHcare workers to look and act? definitely

 

[Madmarsha]

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

I have no idea what this means but you had me at chicken and waffle. My favorite comfort food.

 

[itztime]

Sounds like the patient was dispositioned incorrectly, “Left without Being Seen” should have been the disposition, I’m sure either the registration clerk or charge nurse got it wrong.

I work in emergency departments across this nation. I walk out sometimes thinking God Bless the ones that have to come here or at the good ones they just need a good provider on shift, as they are staffed with some real doozies.

Pregnancy test, they have to give those regardless if you have those symptoms, there is a virgin at least once a day pregnant, so a persons word is no good. If the ED is not slammed, the provider could be sleeping, watching reruns of Melrose Place, having sex with someone they snuck into the doctors room or playing with their puppy dog whom they also snuck in. Yes all that happens frequently and is an issue but hey they are human too, sleep, eat and poop like the rest of us.

 

[Madmarsha]

Pregnancy test, they have to give those regardless if you have those symptoms, there is a virgin at least once a day pregnant, so a persons word is no good.

So, gee, this begs the question why take a history at all? Hi, Doc, I'm here at the emergency room, don't ask me any questions, just look at me and give me the diagnosis. Fah. Hospitals are no place to be if you're sick.

 

[mjcouvi]

Sounds like the patient was dispositioned incorrectly, “Left without Being Seen” should have been the disposition, I’m sure either the registration clerk or charge nurse got it wrong.

I work in emergency departments across this nation. I walk out sometimes thinking God Bless the ones that have to come here or at the good ones they just need a good provider on shift, as they are staffed with some real doozies.

Pregnancy test, they have to give those regardless if you have those symptoms, there is a virgin at least once a day pregnant, so a persons word is no good. If the ED is not slammed, the provider could be sleeping, watching reruns of Melrose Place, having sex with someone they snuck into the doctors room or playing with their puppy dog whom they also snuck in. Yes all that happens frequently and is an issue but hey they are human too, sleep, eat and poop like the rest of us.

Well, for healthcare workers, those things don't really seem human, they seem negligent. This all doesn't make much sense to me, are you serious?

 

[itztime]

So, gee, this begs the question why take a history at all? Hi, Doc, I'm here at the emergency room, don't ask me any questions, just look at me and give me the diagnosis. Fah. Hospitals are no place to be if you're sick.

Ha. CMS guidelines and reimbursement money. Our government gives them extra money if you answer yes to smoking and the provider gives a 2 minute spill regarding the dangers of smoking BAM extra $$$. Not doing it out of care but out of monetary incentives to drive it. Granite I hope most do care when explaining.

 

[itztime]

Well, for healthcare workers, those things don't really seem human, they seem negligent. This all doesn't make much sense to me, are you serious?

It is negligent, been doing this for almost 15 years. Trust me the ED directors turn them in but they always say little to no action is taken but the CYA is in place.

My first time working IT in a hospital I learned that doctors need their porn. We had to take them off the hospital network and run a separate network so they could surf it the CIO was livid that either the admin or board allowed it.

 

[kizzy821]

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.

Exactly. Or if something's hanging out and I can't get it back in. I often worry about things on the inside pushing through to the outside (our skin is hella flimsy when you think about it).

And maybe sudden blindness. I could Uber to the ER or just wait to "see" a specialist.

 

[bclemms]

Trying to figure out the most forked up part of our healthcare is quite the task.

Is it the hospitals that charge insane amounts of money from basics like typing in your social security number to bandaids and gauze all the way up to basic check up procedures and testing to complex surgery and overnight car?
Is it the insurance companies that have gone to high deductibles with co-pays filled with exception clauses limiting their liability and giving them reason not to pay despite the incredible premiums?
Could the worst be the pharma industry consolidating rights to medications and then charging whatever figure they think can maximize profits with zero regard for availability and life?
What if it is the government systems that help to inflate these values by not being able to negotiate drug prices or by covering unnecessary hospital visits and increased paperwork requirements increasing administration costs?
Could it be the health providers system of paid referral system that leads to a long road of specialists, tests and scans on what ends up being a multi-year quest for a diagnosis that isn't really needed?
Is it the referal system set up with surgery that allows medical equipment sales people in the post surgery care areas of hospitals to pitch unnecessary high cost medical equipment on to drugged up patients or their overconcerned loved ones because they know insurance companies will pay for it and the doctors allow it because of huge kick backs?


I hope I never need trauma care. Everything else I can get done out of country and I'm well traveled enought to know just how much American exceptionalism has lost all justification. There are dozens of other countries I would prefer to get medical treatment over the US for all but a few diagnosis. In America, people are simply commodities and the people have to pay a massive surcharge to be treated as such.

 

[saintmdterps]

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.

Several years ago while on vacation I went to the ER for an infection. When I got my bill I noticed a charge for 422.00 for “self-administerable drugs” for 2 Levaquin 500mg which I took by mouth. I went to our Director of nursing and asked what the facility pharmacy would charge for the meds. She called and got the quote—ten dollars.

I calmed myself and called the hospital billing department, reminding myself I would be talking to a clerk who had nothing to do with the actual bill.

After she pulled up my bill, I asked about the charge and she just said yes, that was the correct charge.

“You charge 422 dollars for a 30 year-old medication that’s been off patent for over 25 years, and that I took by mouth?”

“Yes sir”

“Here is how this is going to go. I work in a skilled nursing facility and our DON says the pharmacy would charge 10 dollars for those same 2 Levaquin. I’m going to pay you 20 dollars which is 100% profit. If your hospital does not send over an amended invoice reflecting this change, I will send you 10 dollars a month until this bill is paid and there’s nothing you can do about it. My next call will be to the North Carolina state insurance commissioners office. If you amend the bill, I’ll pay in full.”

I got my amended invoice. I wonder how many others they ripped off. It’s indeed the hospital groups who are responsible.

 

[FL_Saint]

After our first daughter was born, got a bill from an unknown doctor. The line item literally stated "present at birth". Never heard of this person, I don't know if they were there or not. It was 100% covered by our insurance, but my common statement is that "hell, I was present, too." All I got was a kid.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Several years ago while on vacation I went to the ER for an infection. When I got my bill I noticed a charge for 422.00 for “self-administerable drugs” for 2 Levaquin 500mg which I took by mouth. I went to our Director of nursing and asked what the facility pharmacy would charge for the meds. She called and got the quote—ten dollars.

I calmed myself and called the hospital billing department, reminding myself I would be talking to a clerk who had nothing to do with the actual bill.

After she pulled up my bill, I asked about the charge and she just said yes, that was the correct charge.

“You charge 422 dollars for a 30 year-old medication that’s been off patent for over 25 years, and that I took by mouth?”

“Yes sir”

“Here is how this is going to go. I work in a skilled nursing facility and our DON says the pharmacy would charge 10 dollars for those same 2 Levaquin. I’m going to pay you 20 dollars which is 100% profit. If your hospital does not send over an amended invoice reflecting this change, I will send you 10 dollars a month until this bill is paid and there’s nothing you can do about it. My next call will be to the North Carolina state insurance commissioners office. If you amend the bill, I’ll pay in full.”

I got my amended invoice. I wonder how many others they ripped off. It’s indeed the hospital groups who are responsible.

I remember when this TIME story hit and there was national coverage and outrage about it

For a minute it seemed like it was going to be dealt with, but nothing came of it

Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us

Corrections Appended: February 26 and March 12, 2013 1. Routine Care, Unforgettable Bills When Sean Recchi, a 42-year-old from Lancaster, Ohio, was told last March...

time.com

 

[2009ring]

If I were a politician part of my platform would be a "Patients bill of rights"

1. The garbage about "we bill your insurance as a courtesy" is a no longer allowed. If patient has valid insurance and you are in network, the responsibility is with the doctors office to deal with the insurance, who they have the contract with.

2. Single point billing - if you go to Hospital ABC, your bill will be from Hospital ABC. You will not get 5 bills from 3 different providers. It's up to the hospital, doctor's office, whatever, to distribute the funds.

3. Medical debt is forbidden to be included on a credit report.

a couple of other pieces but you get the idea...