Hospital Bill

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Schmidhogan

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Joined
Apr 28, 2014
Messages
166
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
10/2013
Country
US
State
Ca
City
Lafayette
Just got the first bill from the hospital for their part in my routine PEG. Included one night in the hospital after the procedure. The total was $20,500! I'm responsible for $2,000 and Blue Cross has already paid the rest. This doesn't include the doctors fee.
How are we to get control of medical costs with charges like this? UGH
 
Is that the discounted total20k? I know what my insurance ( which pays well compared to medicare and others) pays is about 1/2 what is billed for things like blood work. My doctors get close to what they bill.
 
That was what Blue Cross paid. The actual billed amount was over $50,000!
 
I love being a Canadian. We don't even see a bill.
Vincent
 
UC Irvine did mine outpatient, and my part was $350 after BlueX.
 
I love being a Canadian. We don't even see a bill.
Vincent

it's the same here. we don't see a bill but when it comes to things we need to get by out of the house. that's when it hits us.
 
I live 25 miles from Canada. You should see all the Canadian license plates at our local hospital.
 
VA is socialized medicine, too. No complaints here.
 
I live 25 miles from Canada. You should see all the Canadian license plates at our local hospital.

I live about 25 miles from you Music67 as I am 1/2 mile from the Peace Arch Crossing. I laughed out loud with your comment. Oh so true. We have socialized medicine which works well for truly emergent situations, but if you need a hip replacement, cataract surgery, an MRI for diagnostics the system here is brutal--long waits. And don't even think of asking for a colonoscopy. And then we have the brain drain of doctors to the States so often the top specialists are not in Canada (or if they are here it is brief as they frequently leave to go make big bucks). I don't know how many physicians I have had over the years who have had serious medical conditions diagnosed here in Vancouver, and then they high tail it to Seattle to get first rate treatment. I still remain thankful for what we have as no one will lose a home here over medical bills. But I am also thankful that I have enough money to cross the border to pay for treatment if I get put on one of our famous wait lists.
 
Music67, that's strange, I came up from Clearwater Florida and I knew a lot of Canadian Snow Birds that would fly back to Canada just for appointments and procedures. Either round trip plane fare was really cheap back then or due to the cost of our healthcare the trip was worth it! :) Some Canadians grumble about their healthcare but... very few would trade theirs for ours. VA Medical and Medicare is socialized medicine... try and take it away from anyone now on it!
 
I put my $5000 bill on a access one credit card and pay $125.00 a month. Just paid off a bill for a EMG from April 2013, still own over $700 for a MRI last year, I pay $25.00 a month. Funny thing is if I had stopped working earlier and went on disability, they would have paid those bills. I'm just greatful that I can pay something.

Janie
 
Hospitals will deeply discount their bills if you meet their criteria for hardship.

After all, insurance companies--and Medicare--don't pay even half of what they're billed. So you may be able to reach an agreement with your medical billers.
 
Medical bills are the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the US.
 
The Prime Minister of Canada came down to Florida a year or so ago for some heart surgery. Supposedly it was a moderate procedure that could have been done in Canada but he said it was his choice.
 
As amazing as that is, I just saw the bill to our insurance company that Houston Methodist sent for my work up for Appel's clinic. $32000 for 2 days in a room-no IV's, drugs, nurses or anything- just lying in a bed. Oh I did have breakfast and lunch.
Didn't even spend the night.

Don't care how good the treatment is here if no one but Mark Cuban and the other shark tank members can afford it, what use is it?

And I'm sure I'll get a bill for the botched surgery they did to put in my mikey button-they will hear a lot of curse words over that-havent lost my voice yet and I was awake during the surgery so I know 2 mistakes were made-one by the
Dr and one by the hospital.


















32000
 
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