I know this is way off topic for this forum but I think it's a great deal helpful for all of us. My wife and I have good health coverage, we're not rich but nor are we poor. But we did go to the hospital after my foot operation to set up a payment plan to pay our portion then pay it off once I get back to work. The lady behind the counter was very helpful. She said that we may qualify for assistance. This shocked us at first and my wife felt insulted for the moment. I stepped in and asked what we had to do. All we needed to do was fill out an application and return it with last year's income statement. So we did and so glad we did. It took 60% off our total bill. Then the wife had some work done just 6 weeks after my surgery at a different hospital, so we applied again for her. They paid the full amount on her's. I just wanted to let everyone know not to feel ashamed or lowered by asking for assistance. It's out there for everyone not just certain people. You have nothing to lose by asking and filling out the paper work. I hope this helps some of you at some point.
- Thread starter John B.
- Start date
rrlund, once we did it the first time we just went in the second time at the second hospital and told them what we wanted to do and that was to apply for assistance on our bill we owe them. The lady directed us to the correct person. In two weeks we had our answer. It's an easy process actually.
Sparktrician
Member
My question is.....why the hell cant we pay what is our portion to begin with????? Shouldnt have to ask to pay what you should to begin with!!!
Why would they have these programs set in place if we can always afford to pay our portion? I don't know your financial status and it's really none of my business.
I worked with a lady one time that lied and said her husband left her with two kids just so she could get $4,000 worth of dental work done on herself. That's cheating the system according to my upbringing. At least I can sleep at night knowing what I did was the honest way.
It's always been said to have at least 6 months savings in reserve. I've been off for 5 months and I can see what they mean. My hospital bills aren't the only bills I have that need to be paid.
It's always been said too,
"A Fool and His Money Soon Part"
I think my posting personally will help more people honestly than your comment will.
I worked with a lady one time that lied and said her husband left her with two kids just so she could get $4,000 worth of dental work done on herself. That's cheating the system according to my upbringing. At least I can sleep at night knowing what I did was the honest way.
It's always been said to have at least 6 months savings in reserve. I've been off for 5 months and I can see what they mean. My hospital bills aren't the only bills I have that need to be paid.
It's always been said too,
"A Fool and His Money Soon Part"
I think my posting personally will help more people honestly than your comment will.
the sad thing is - it doesn't really give you a "discount" per se - it just relieves you from paying the inflated price.
What you paid is closer to what you should have paid.
What you signed was the "I'm not rich, so don't screw me" waiver.
It's not the same thing as the "I'm poor, so screw a rich guy for me" waiver. So nothing to be ashamed of.
What you paid is closer to what you should have paid.
What you signed was the "I'm not rich, so don't screw me" waiver.
It's not the same thing as the "I'm poor, so screw a rich guy for me" waiver. So nothing to be ashamed of.
Larry NEIL
Well-known Member
All hospitals bill at two different rates. The high rate is what they bill if you are p[aying out of pocket. Thediscount rate is what an in surance policy pays. You just got the insurance rate.
BigMarv1085
Member
I owe $4150 for my heart attack. I think I will go to the hospital and see what I can get done.
I just had a short hospital stay, and the "Explanation of Benefits" slips are starting to come in. Pretty big discounts across the board, from what the provider billed down to what we will pay. Its all on my nickel so far, because I have a high deductible.
They did an examination via computer with a neurologist while I was in the emergency room- I could see and talk to the doc in Seattle on a computer screen, and vice versa.
The e-room staff were pretty interested, because they said this was the very first time they had used this technology. Now I'm thinking it might also be the last- Explanation of Benefits says:
Telehealth consult- Provider billed $157.40, Plan allowed $0. Patient responsibility $0. They stiffed him completely! Not sure being a doc would be all that great these days.
They did an examination via computer with a neurologist while I was in the emergency room- I could see and talk to the doc in Seattle on a computer screen, and vice versa.
The e-room staff were pretty interested, because they said this was the very first time they had used this technology. Now I'm thinking it might also be the last- Explanation of Benefits says:
Telehealth consult- Provider billed $157.40, Plan allowed $0. Patient responsibility $0. They stiffed him completely! Not sure being a doc would be all that great these days.
John - I'm not sure that Sparktrician was making a comment directed at you and in a bad way. I read his comment to mean - why don't they set one price instead of having several prices for the same procedure. Mebbe I mis-read what he meant. I'm glad you got the discount. Every penny counts when you're out of work. When my oldest son was born, I sold a motorcycle to pay most of the hospital/doctor bill. I approached the window 18 years old and with a fistful of twentys, and the lady immediately knocked a couple hundred bucks off of the bill. I guess she'd never seen anything so pitiful, ha.
Paul
Paul
Cliff Nelson
Well-known Member
My experience is that each hospital has their own program within their financial department. They don't advertise it but it's there if you need it.
Several years ago I had to have part of my big toe nail cut out. Yes, it is painful even to watch. But I have actually had it done to both sides of each big toe.
The last time I was in there I asked the doctor what he would charge if I didnt have insurance. The doctor said, 1/2 the amount if you pay then and there with a check, this is a small time doctor with 1 receptionist and 1 helper/nurse. Luckily I have insurance.
The last time I was in there I asked the doctor what he would charge if I didnt have insurance. The doctor said, 1/2 the amount if you pay then and there with a check, this is a small time doctor with 1 receptionist and 1 helper/nurse. Luckily I have insurance.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
for any amount I have to pay the Hospital, my wife takes our property tax receipt into them and a % is deducted because we have a hopital tax included in our property taxes.
Hay hay hay
Well-known Member
That Time Magazine article that I posted about has several pages on how to negotiate reductions to your part of the hospital bill. Sounds like we could all use some insight.
farmer boy
Well-known Member
Is it not the other way around? Insurance gets charged more, you pay less if you're paying yourself. I've heard of that taking place, never the other way around.(keep in mind I only see this on dental and eye care, health care is 'free'/prepaid)
SweetFeet
Well-known Member
Our son's emergency appendectomy is going to cost us at least $4,000 out of pocket/decutible-wise... plus 20% of the total bill (that is if our insurance approves/covers everything else). And the bill is already pushing $25,000 and I'm not sure if we have been billed for everything yet. That is the best deductible offered by my husband's employer.
So I will be setting up a payment plan too. No way that we are pulling that much out of savings to pay it at once. Bummer... as we have paid for (but RARELY used) our insurance for 27+ years.
So I will be setting up a payment plan too. No way that we are pulling that much out of savings to pay it at once. Bummer... as we have paid for (but RARELY used) our insurance for 27+ years.
IOWA NORTHEAST
Member
Just a little side note as to perhaps why there is room for discounts......I had a little cancer removed from my ear...doctor wore gloves as well as the nurse. A total of four pairs of gloves were used for surgery, and removing the stitches. I was billed by the hospital $17.34 for each pair. They were Dymomed gloves, the exact same gloves I ordered for our EMS unit. Our unit paid $7.00 and change for the same gloves, BUT we got a box of 100...or fifty pairs for the seven dollars. When I complained about the bill I was informed that I could file a formal complaint, and blau blau blau. And to make matters worse, I peeled the Dymamed lable off, and found the original maker of the gloves who would sell them direct even cheaper. I should also point out, this was about twenty two years ago.
fixerupper
Well-known Member
If a person pays the whole bill he does pay more than an insurance company would have paid. The insurance company has the knowledge and clout to negotiate the bill down. Jim
It's different in Ontario because most people don't have insurance for anything but dental and eye care. For eye care they never ask if I have insurance or not. I think they bill the same and if you have insurance you submit it yourself. I usually get good rates at the dentist because I don't have insurance. It seems to be about 50% cheaper or more then what they would bill if you have insurance.
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