OT - finally got the first bill from my horrendous hospital visit in November
Some of you may remember, I had to have staples put in a couple of wounds to close them, and the ER doc refused to give me anything at all for pain either before the procedure or for the several hours afterward that I was in the ER. I'm currently working with a therapist to deal with the emotional trauma resulting from that experience.
Today I got a bill from the ER - $312 for the doctor's services and $700 and something for the use of the ER. My insurance is paying most of that but they want me to pay $44. I thought about calling them up to tell them I was not paying it and why, and perhaps to also explain that they should just consider themselves fortunate they aren't being sued. Then I figured I'd just end up on hold listening to elevator music forever and the customer service person that answers the phone wouldn't care or be able to do anything about the bill.
But here is one of the few benefits to being poor. If I don't pay the bill, they can't do anything about it. They can't get money from me that I don't have. And there is no way I am paying them one penny.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
Omg!!! They didnt even numb you!!???? That is so heartless and completely against their oath! It shouldnt matter what economic situation you have we all deserve to be treated with kindness and compassion. I am truly sorry you had to get such a heartless douchebag to "care" for you. My husband will retire in the next few years and we will lose his insurance. I am seeing how they treat people who do not have insurance or have government insurance because my Mom is having medical issues. Its insane the way the medical profession has made money more important than humans. Hugz to you Kelly.
They did not give me anything to numb the area and did not give me anything for pain, not even Tylenol, for about five hours afterward. It was not due to lack of insurance. I have insurance (Medicare). But I got seven staples with nothing for pain and I'm still really mad about it, as you can tell.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
Those bills are really something. Even though our credit is totally tanked from when my husband's place of employment closed, he ended up with me on SSD (we are 60 and 62), I still did not want to deal with any type of collection agency calls. The VA takes care of him and I have Medicare, a Part D Rx program and a BC/BS Medigap plan that zeroes out all of those balances. Even though we do not qualify for any assistance as they think our income is too high, I do qualify for some drug help. I only mention this because there are those out there that do have insurance but the co-pay for some drugs is out of their budget. I needed Lyrica and Lipitor, which both happen to be by Pfizer, but all pharmaceutical companies are involved. My co-pay for those drugs alone would have been close o $500 for a 90-day-supply, which I do not have. Even if you are in that gray area, this is one thing that can be covered with a "higher" (HA!) income. Just an FYI.
Blessings, Lynn 
Band to RnY - 3/13/13
I personally would call with exactly what you stated. Years ago when I had my tummy tuck I developed an infection that tunneled. I ended up wearing a wound vac for over a month and it took 11 mo for the last scab to be gone. When they called me wanting the remaining $400 I owed them I laughed literally over the phone at them. I told them they were lucky I wasn't as sue happy as most of the people I know and hadn't heard from a lawyer. They waived the remaining balance. I say try it. Worse they can say is no. At that point ask them if they are a non profit hospital and if they are they have the ability to get waive the remaining balance based on your income. You should just have to fill out some papers and proof of income.
5' 3" - HW: 244 SW:234 GW:120 LW: 107 CW:110 Made goal 3/16/13!
You're better than me. I would sue the crap out of them for emotional damages.
You should rethink not suing them. They need to know what they did was wrong so they don't do that to someone else.
HW: 295 / SW: 273 / CW: 169.4 / GW: 140 / Dream Goal: 120
Height: 5'3.5" - *22lbs of my weightloss was lost pre-surgery.
You're better than me. I would sue the crap out of them for emotional damages.
You should rethink not suing them. They need to know what they did was wrong so they don't do that to someone else.
I talked to a malpractice attorney. If suing was valid option, I would do it. I was told that the cost of trying the case would be as much as I could expect to win, which means the attorney would not make any money, which means no attorney will take the case.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
thanks. It does suck. I have nightmares about it and I'm afraid to go anywhere for medical care now. I have all kinds of PTSD symptoms from that experience. Like I didn't have enough problems before that happened. Like I needed more crap to deal with.
I did file a complaint with the state medical board and I hope the doctor gets in some sort of trouble, but I'm not that hopeful about it.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
