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Guest

Just got an unexpected (and in my mind, farcial) $14,000 medical bill from the outpatient surgery center where I had a deviated septum straightened. Now, let's see...the nose doc, gas passer and labs have all been paid, my insurance paid the surge center nealry $5k, and now they want $14K from me? What, for time on the table, clean sheets, ice chips and holding my hand?

Sh*t. Evil or Very Mad

Anyway, I'm going to see if I can get them to resubmit the notes to my insurace company (I'm told I quit breathing on the table and they had to intubate me ASAP.) Then I'm going to see if I can them to bring their total number down. Then I suppose I'll look for a loan and/or go on long payment program.

However this works out, I've made one decisision: I'm not selling a single shotgun nor missing a single day at the club or in the field because of this. Life's too darn short, and I'm a wingshooter. My little collection is modest, but it keeps me grinning ... and damn*t, I intend to keep on grinning. Wink

Joined: 19 Jun 2004 Posts: 1480 Location: Mpls, MN.

You might want to resubmit that bill to the insurance company. A good number of policies are 80/20, after some sort of deductable has been met. I feel your pain, however-we just had a baby in December, simple, uncomplicated delivery (Latinas like my wife make it look simple, anyway) and the insurance company paid the equivalent of a bunch of very nice guns for it. I paid the equivelent of a few nice guns for it. But, it was 80/20.
Check into it further.
Best,
Ted

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

Medical costs are completely out of hand Evil or Very Mad

I see no reason to charge -extort-the prices they deem fit Rolling Eyes

An example -low end-is $5 per aspirin Evil or Very Mad

Member Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Posts: 46 Location: Illinois

I had the same surgery done last spring and the cost was nearly the same. I had to pay 20% of the first $5000 and insurance picked up everything else. The hospital called me to arrange for payment and offered me a 20% discount if I payed the entire balance in full right then on the phone via debit card. Naturally I took them up on the offer. It does make you wonder though about whether the bill is inflated to start with if they can offer such discounts.

Years ago I went to a Chiropractor who told me each visit was $100 or whatever my insurance would pay. I told him my insurance only paid $20 per visit and he said that was fine. I walked out.

Member Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 1522 Location: NH

Wow, sorry to hear about those kind of troubles. I'm very fortunate that I have pretty good ins through work.
I had shoulder surgery 2 yrs ago that with everything from the hospital and the rehab etc ran some where around $30-40K. I paid $20 for the hospital and $5 for each Dr appt (3-4) and each rehab session (16-20).
That is the main reason I'm still working and have not retired yet. As soon as I do, I start paying a large portion of the ins rate, although the coverage would be the same. And at 51 yoa I've got too much time to have to pay for it until Soc Sec kicks in to add $$ each month. Wink

Now if I could just figure out how to get the Vet bills covered. Very Happy

Call the hospital. tell them you don't have the moolah. Ask them what they'll take, tell them that's too much. ask again. With a little persistence, 14K could easily become $14 hundred.

Good luck.

When I was in the hospital last, I asked every doctor if they took my insurance. All did... except one. He lied to me, and then sent me a bill for $4,000.00. I refused to pay him. That's why I pay $13K a year for insurance. On his second call to me, he offered to settle for $400.00, cash. To end the oirdeal, I gave him $200.00.

And he was glad to take it.

I worked in the industry for about three years, as a controller. The prices are inflated to cover the write offs and discounts. Never settle for the first price.

Joined: 25 Feb 2006 Posts: 50 Location: john day, or

Guess I had better start the process with the local VA rep, lost hearing in right ear servicing tanks on the firing line in Germany (Grafenweir) '61-62 and partial loss left ear. Hearing protection: cotton to stuff in if you asked for it. Discovered when getting pre-release physical in Germany. Refused to sign off medical waiver. U of M audiometry center discovered the extent so its on my records (I hope). Finally realizing that I need a hearing aid, been obvious to wifey for decades!

Retired with Gov insurance, which doesn't pay much and wife is on her last year of teaching. Might have to visit VA hospital in Boise if anything major shows up in future.

Scarry for those on minimum wage with family. Oh, that why our bills are up there!

Joined: 06 Apr 2007 Posts: 70

had the deviated septum surgery and sinus surgery at the same time. i woke up during the surgery and the sawbones who had some sort of tire iron device up my nostril angrily asked the anesthetist, " what the hell is he doing awake " whereupon i drawn back to the netherworld. surgery wasn't bad but recovery was until they took out all the packings w/ a long needlenose plier.

the insurance here is ridiculous. i've friends in mexico who claim it's a lot better. mexico fer chrissakes!

Guest

Well, the good news is we are in negotiations. The top lady at the outpatient surgery center where I had the septum straightened has called the $14K figure "ridicuolous" and "absurd" for the procedure I had, and she is looking into the billing.

Although I don't have a firm number yet, I've supplied them the paperwork for which they've asked. She said, "I don't know exactly what you'll owe, but I can guarantee you it won't be that amount."

So, I'm hoping that the most they'll bill will be the max allowable by my company's provider for an in-network facility, which would still leave me on the hook for about $3,200. The price of a more-than-decent gun, for sure, but it still beats heck out of $14K. Even if the price comes down, I may even ask them to resubmit the bill to my provider with more extensive notes. Maybe I can get the insurer to pony up a few more bucks.

So, I'm left waiting and hoping, but am slightly encouraged. Take care, lads, and thanks so very much for the advice here and in the PMs.

Oh, and I'm still making empties at least once a week and sometimes tiwce. I'm wingshooter, dadgummit, and I'm not going to let these weenies ruin my fun!
Wink

Mark

Member Joined: 17 Jan 2005 Posts: 138 Location: Parma, OH

While getting a $14k bill would put me through the roof, you also gotta look at the other side of the coin. How many hospitals and medical centers are allowed to refuse treatment because someone doesn't have insurance? None, methinks....

So how do you set up a cost and billing structure for a certain percentage of people who can't pay? What about people who have the money, but refuse to pay? This whole "Right to Health Care" garbage has to go, IMHO. This is America, a capitalist society where if you don't have enough MONEY to BUY things, you CAN'T HAVE THEM. If you don't like it, live elsewhere (if they'll have you.)

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind having to pay for someone down on their luck and just lost their job, but there's a small percentage (or maybe is a large percentage???? Dunno) of people making a career working minimum wage jobs trying to exploit the system to a large extent. Somehow, I think they're the loudest proponents of "Universal Healthcare." (Didn't any of these people pay attention to their high school guidance counselors?!?!? Oh well.)

But my rant is over....for now.

I would certainly haggle with them. People don't want to bother with debt collectors and don't want to go to court over these things (where they can LOSE big time.) Get as much information as possible, and if they can't supply it, the politely ask them, "If you can't tell me what this $14,000 is for, why should I bother paying it?" If that doesn't work, get a lawyer.....Good Luck. Let us know what happens.

Mike Doerner

Guest

I get where you're coming from,Mike, but considering the docs had all been paid, the lab work was all paid for, and these guys already had received about $5K from my insurance company, the $14K seemed a bit much.

I'm not smart enough to solve our country's medical-cost problems, but considering I have the best and mostly coverage our company offers, seeing that $14K bill darn near made me a proponent for universal health care ala Canada.

Anyway, I don't want to cause a dust-up on our board over this. I'm just glad it's going a little better ... and I'm darn sure not going to let it affect my shooting. That, to me, is the important point. I grind it out about 55 hours a week, and I live to make some empties on the weekend ... and for the walks behind the dogs come fall and winter. It keeps me whole and somewhat sane.

Good shooting to you all.

Member Joined: 17 Jan 2005 Posts: 138 Location: Parma, OH

Oh, so the bill was $19k? Tell your doctor to start driving a Ford and let the repo-man take the Porche..... Laughing

Mike Doerner

Guest

Member Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 57 Location: Newport.OR

A friend that works for Cabela's told me that doctors are the most common group to purchase equipment, use it for a week and then return it for a refund. Now, if I can just figure out how to apply their technique to their services. Laughing