Can I challenge a hospital bill?

Can I challenge a hospital bill?

"Michael T"	11/27/2004 9:31:43 AM
What are my options when I receive an emergency room bill for almost $10,000 following a rather serious automobile accident? I was in the hospital less than 1/2 day and there was no surgery - just a lot of testing and pain killer meds. Can I hire someone (legal aid, private attorney, debt counselor, etc.) to negotiate with the hospital? I lost my job (and my health insurance) as a software engineer in July and at 62 years of age my prospects for new employment are bleak at best. I was also burglarized on Labor Day and this month I learned a dear friend has terminal colon cancer. So it has not been a 'happy' time. It would be nice to think there is another option besides bankruptcy - especially since the bill seems excessive. I mean $5800 for a CT-Scan seems a bit excessive. Thank you for your time. Michael T.



"David Martel"	11/27/2004 5:58:13 PM
Michael, Sorry to hear of your misfortune. I'm surprised that you failed to maintain your health insurance through COBRA. The hospital does have social worker/billing agents to help you to deal with payment plans and government payment programs. Your local government should be able to supply you with the phone numbers of debt counselors. Prior to challenging the hospital's bill speak with the billing department about the procedures for doing this. Good luck, Dave M.



Stephen M. Adams	11/27/2004 8:45:46 PM
"Michael T" <anonymous@cox.net> writes: What are my options when I receive an emergency room bill for almost $10,000 following a rather serious automobile accident? I was in the hospital less than 1/2 day and there was no surgery - just a lot of testing and pain killer meds. Can I hire someone (legal aid, private attorney, debt counselor, etc.) to negotiate with the hospital? I lost my job (and my health insurance) as a software engineer in July and at 62 years of age my prospects for new employment are bleak at best. I was also burglarized on Labor Day and this month I learned a dear friend has terminal colon cancer. So it has not been a 'happy' time. It would be nice to think there is another option besides bankruptcy - especially since the bill seems excessive. I mean $5800 for a CT-Scan seems a bit excessive. Michael, Before spending money on a lawyer, call the Hospital and talk to the billing department. You may be able to work something out with them. If this fails, ask to speak to someone about the possibility of forgiving the debt - a friend of mine who was unemployed and hurt in an accident had >$7000 forgiven by the hospital (they applied some kind of "community funds" to cover his bill). -Stephen -- Space Age Cybernomad Stephen Adams malchus842SP@AMgmail.com (remove SPAM to reply)



"Michael T"	11/27/2004 10:31:40 PM
"David Martel" <marte005@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:Ve3qd.1677$u81.272@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net... Sorry to hear of your misfortune. I'm surprised that you failed to maintain your health insurance through COBRA. Thanks David. I need to find out more about my $318 per month Cobra plan. I may have until the end of November to sign up. But what I need to find out is if coverage is retroactive. It seems to be, but I am not sure. And if it is retroactive, just how much of a $10K emergency room bill will be paid by my Cobra insurance. I had declined to signup as I am a Vietnam Vet close to a VA hospital. I made the rather hasty assumption that I could use the VA hospital until I qualified for Medicare in 2 1/2 years. (Three of my friends have had success going this route.) Oops! I forgot to consider medical emergencies with 4-figure costs. Life is sure full of surprises, isn't it. Michael



"JustMe"	11/28/2004 7:15:40 AM
"Michael T" <anonymous@cox.net> wrote in message news:fheqd.177702$hj.44752@fed1read07... "David Martel" <marte005@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:Ve3qd.1677$u81.272@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net... Thanks David. I need to find out more about my $318 per month Cobra plan. I may have until the end of November to sign up. But what I need to find out is if coverage is retroactive. It seems to be, but I am not sure. And if it is retroactive, just how much of a $10K emergency room bill will be paid by my Cobra insurance. I had declined to signup as I am a Vietnam Vet close to a VA hospital. I made the rather hasty assumption that I could use the VA hospital until I qualified for Medicare in 2 1/2 years. (Three of my friends have had success going this route.) As a Vietnam vet, you are eligible for VA care. Based on what you've said. I'd estimate you're in Priority Group 7 and would qualify for free treatment and no co-pays. If you have a PH you'd be in Group 3. There are limited resources, hence the groups which determine how soon you get treatment. Lower is better. Go here for info: http://www1.va.gov/elig/ The VA medical system is good for chronic care and emergency care but sucks at emergent needs of a non-emergency nature. You can register online or go to the nearest VAMC. Bring your DD-214. You won't get registered without it. Register online here: http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/main.asp Oops! I forgot to consider medical emergencies with 4-figure costs. Life is sure full of surprises, isn't it. Michael



"Rob"	11/28/2004 3:26:00 PM
"Michael T" <anonymous@cox.net> wrote in message news:2S2qd.176777$hj.101605@fed1read07... What are my options when I receive an emergency room bill for almost $10,000 following a rather serious automobile accident? I was in the hospital less than 1/2 day and there was no surgery - just a lot of testing and pain killer meds. Can I hire someone (legal aid, private attorney, debt counselor, etc.) to negotiate with the hospital? I lost my job (and my health insurance) as a software engineer in July and at 62 years of age my prospects for new employment are bleak at best. I was also burglarized on Labor Day and this month I learned a dear friend has terminal colon cancer. So it has not been a 'happy' time. It would be nice to think there is another option besides bankruptcy - especially since the bill seems excessive. I mean $5800 for a CT-Scan seems a bit excessive. Thank you for your time. Michael T. no idea here but it does kill me what hospitals have to accept from insurance companies vs. what they charge you and i. my insurance company (aetna) always lists what they pay for the bill when i look online. i've seen many instances where the cost to the insurance company is around 10-15% of what is actually billed. sometimes i wonder how doctors make money this way, sometimes i wonder why i'm being so screwed without insurance. i guess you put the two together and those of us without insurance are subsidizing the insurance company payments...... sort of backwards if you ask me.



"Richard"	11/28/2004 9:47:12 AM
Michael T wrote: What are my options when I receive an emergency room bill for almost $10,000 following a rather serious automobile accident? I was in the hospital less than 1/2 day and there was no surgery - just a lot of testing and pain killer meds. Can I hire someone (legal aid, private attorney, debt counselor, etc.) to negotiate with the hospital? I lost my job (and my health insurance) as a software engineer in July and at 62 years of age my prospects for new employment are bleak at best. I was also burglarized on Labor Day and this month I learned a dear friend has terminal colon cancer. So it has not been a 'happy' time. It would be nice to think there is another option besides bankruptcy - especially since the bill seems excessive. I mean $5800 for a CT-Scan seems a bit excessive. Thank you for your time. Michael T. Yes you can challenge the bill. A friend of mine's mother worked at a hospital. She had to have surgery at that hospital. When she was given the bill, she went over it with a magnifying glass. When she spotted something she knew did not have, she made them correct the bill. "Oh and these cotton balls I'm being charged for? Would you bring me the box? Because I know you're charging me for the entire box." As for the CT scan price, call up billing anonymously and ask what they normally charge for the service and find out why it's that price. You may be able to work out a plan to pay them.



"Michael T"	12/13/2004 10:41:00 PM
Thank you all for your generous time to give me some options. Fortunately I was still able to reinstate my COBRA insurance following a layoff last summer. So this is the solution that worked for me. It wasn't cheap though as I had to send my insurance carrier a check for almost $1300 to avoid almost $14K in medical bills following my auto accident (which was my fault).

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