I hate Dr's and debt collectors

[Mikey]

Never go to the hospital if you don't have insurance

Next time i'm gunna just let whatever happens happen and sit it out ... if I die I die.

Better than worring about the aftermath when the bills start coming in.

[noelani72]

They are effing ruthless bro.
If they even sniff you have a paycheck, they'll sue.

My biggest gripe is, you wind up with at least five different people to pay for one visit to the er.....and they all want it at the same time.

Ruthless.

[Toy Talk]

They are effing ruthless bro.
If they even sniff you have a paycheck, they'll sue.

My biggest gripe is, you wind up with at least five different people to pay for one visit to the er.....and they all want it at the same time.

Ruthless.

Now that is the part I hate. One trip to the E.R. for my daughter and we get hit with four separate bills.

[Mikey]

And since you don't have insurance they charge you 5 times as much as anyone with insurance.

It's so unfair and should be illegal

[starsky]

unfortunately, nowadays it's all business and no longer caring for the well being of people.

[Brazoo]

The idea of paying per use for a hospital visit like that is totally foreign to me.

[steelcouch]

Tell me about it. Went to the ER for a head Trauma and wound up paying $800 for a scan and two Vicodin. My dad went in with food poisoning and it has already totaled $15,000.

[UnderdogDJLSW]

Sorry, Mike. Been there and done that, too. You think you got everything in the mail and then more letters show up with bills from Drs who saw you for a total of two minutes.

[torgospizza]

And since you don't have insurance they charge you 5 times as much as anyone with insurance.

That's something I've never understood, but have often found to be true.

[toys2cool]

the hell with it, if you can't pay it you can't....they can't turn you down if you don't have insurance, so go and the hell with them

[torgospizza]

The idea of paying per use for a hospital visit like that is totally foreign to me.

The best way I can describe the current relationship between medicine and patients in the States is that we view them as mechanics and they in turn treat us as if we're customers. It even goes so far that they'll prescribe antibiotics for the flu just to placate medically ignorant patients, when it's essentially ineffectual.

[torgospizza]

Also, hospitals will turn you over to collection agencies quicker than you can even imagine is possible. The bills start flowing in as soon as you step out the door, and they expect a near-instant turnaround with the payment. Collection is flipping ruthless, although as long as you make any payment that seems like you're trying ($50/month, f.ex.), they really won't go after you, from what I gather.

[Brazoo]

I kinda realized just after I said something that I might be stepping on a political landmine - but it honestly just seems so strange to me. Years ago I knew a guy who had to drop out of college to pay for surgery on his arm. Sorry, but it just blew my mind.

Oh - and Mikey, sorry to hear about your troubles. Man, that sucks.

[BlackKnight]

If you seriously can't pay because you have a Fixed Income, or need assistance , there is coverage out there. Hospitals should have forms, and DSHS offers assistance as well. I had No Job for over a Year and a Half, or close to it, and didn't have UnEmployment when some stuff rolled down, I was able to get assistance.

[Rallygirl]

And since you don't have insurance they charge you 5 times as much as anyone with insurance.

It's so unfair and should be illegal

Warning,...Rallygirl is going on a long spiel, but with advice at the end. I spent years as a medical biller and later as a practice manager. I HATE insurance companies.

The hospital charges the same whether you do or do not have insurance. However, insurance companies can legally write off a large portion of the charges if they have a contract with the provider(s) or facility. And to make matters worse, that contract, which is written by the insurance company, makes it a breach of said contract to charge cash patients less. Of course, this subtlety does not matter when you are stuck paying the entire bill.

I understand that the purpose of those clauses is to prevent unscrupulous hospitals/providers from over-charging insurance companies. However, it hurts, and in fact, can devastate families without insurance.

Secondly, facilities and hospitals do not pull fees out their backsides. They create their charges by averaging the allowed fees from their largest insurance bases. For example, lets say "MegaMed" is your largest local insurer. If MegaMed declares that a foot x-ray is $100 and the doctor only charges $50, MegaMed will only pay 50% on ALL charges from that point forward. So, many (not all) doctors will actually charge more than they need or want, in order to meet insurance company fee schedules.

From my years of insurance billing, I honestly believe that changing those two things would be a HUGE step in overhauling the US health care system. I believe many doctors would lower their fees, once they were not being controlled by insurance companies. Of course, there are always some bad apples who would keep high prices. End of spiel.

Mikey, if you nicely deal with the billing department, most will work out a fair payment schedule. They might want to see a paystub and proof of reoccurring bills such a as mortgage. Some will be crappy and demand high payments, but many are happy with small payments as long as a consistant schedule is followed. I have seen hospitals content with $10 a week on a $10,000 bill as long as that $10 comes in EVERY, EVERY, EVERY week like clockwork. Miss a payment and all hell will break loose. I will keep my fingers crossed that you find someone willing to work with you on the bill.