Most absurd medical bill you have ever received?

amother

Papaya

Tue, Sep 17 2019, 6:11 am

We had lawyers fighting for over a month for insurance to pay a newly FDA approved treatment for my child to cure him from his cancer. In meantime, he was in hospital, waiting for approval, and fighting for his life.
It takes a minute to administer but they charged 1,000,000 to the insurance. The insurance kept sending us letters that it's not medically necessary, why he can't get the standard treatment ( which obviously wasn't working). They wanted doctor to sign that it was neccesary, beneficial, & guaranteed that it will cure him, which they couldn't guarantee, they were just trying, to see if this will bring him the refuah he needs, after all else failed.
Bh with these lawyers that RCCS & Chaya lifeline arranged, they ended up paying.

Another time, when he was allergic to standard route of administering a certain chemo, because it was too strong they divided into small amounts & administered more often via another route. They didn't want to prepare it until he was actually ready for them to adminster it, because each tiny vial costed them 17,000. He used to have to wait for hours till it got ready.

renslet

Tue, Sep 17 2019, 6:43 am

notshanarishona wrote:

Or being charged $100 for a urine pregnancy test which is probably from China for .10 at every er visit. Especially when they do it to 12 year old frum girls who know very well they aren't pregnant

My friend was told by a very kind nurse as she was waiting in the ER, "go next door to Walgreens and buy a few pregnancy tests, each Dr will want you to take one and you don't have insurance so you will be charged over $100 each, in Walgreens you'll get three for $25 or something like that"!
She said was the best advice ever!

amother

Papaya

Tue, Sep 17 2019, 7:09 am

I'm seeing a hi risk OB.

I pay in cash as he doesn't take my insurance.
We made up a global price which I am paying slowly that is supposed to cover visits + delivery. Each time I come though, I am slapped with unexpected charges, which they claim aren't covered under the global price. If I talk to billing they just show me the contract that anything not part of standard visit is not included. If I don't give my c/c to cover the fee right away, they don't allow me in to go see the doctor.

Each sonogram is separate fee, not included. ( which they do every time ( even just to see heartbeat) & I am there pretty often.)
One time they did external one, but couldn't see anything because of baby's position. So they did internal one & I had to pay twice, for two separate tests.

Another time while I had my regular OB visit, I told Dr I had a pain, if he can check that. They sent me into a different room for a doctor to check me out. I got charged a few hundred dollars because it's considered problem visit not standard prenatal care.
Every time I spoke to in house nutritionist about my sugars another $100.

After reviewing my history with couple of hi risk doctors, they scheduled me to speak to another one of their doctors, where I again reviewed my history & got charged $500 for that consult. I ordered my medical records from my previous dr who delivered my baby, this one was supposed to review it, problem is that she never received it so I still got billed even if it was just me repeating what I told the other doctor. Nothing was being mechadesh, same protocol as I was advised before.

Weirdest part was, since I was under global contract, I got reduced rate for sonograms, but first time they charged me reg price for sono, when I asked about it, secty said, "That price you get, after signing the global contract, which you didn't yet, that's why it's regular price. I said, so let me sign it first & then pay, but she didn't let me.

dankbar

Tue, Sep 17 2019, 7:45 am

amother [ Burgundy ] wrote:

This thread is the biggest reason for universal health care in America. These billing practices really decimate family's finances and peace of mind. Medical care here is like the wild west, with a greedy health care system helping themselves to family's pocket books. And only in America.

That's why everyone wordwide comes flocking to America for medical treatment, as it is considered to have best medical care. With the competition, better doctor may charge more, so they try to become better.
In other countries with socialized medicine, all doctors get paid same, so why would he up his knowledge, research, skills. All prices charged for anything is gov't controlled. The medical care in some countries suck. They couldn't care less if you are getting the treatment you need right away

amother

Blonde

Tue, Sep 17 2019, 9:40 am

notshanarishona wrote:

Also hospitals have financial aid . When I get a bill for a few hundred I typically just pay . When I get a bill that's more than I could afford with 10 years of working I don't even attempt, I just send back a letter saying I can't afford It and apply for their charity care .

This. In the USA no one goes without being seen at a hospital. Even people for whom it is illegal for them to be in the USA get medical treatment. We treat everyone for emergencies and any ailment they walk into an ER with. Even if they can't pay.
In socialized medicine countries, without that magic card you don't get seen at all.
In the USA there are ways to get the care. I have applied for hospital financial aid. I got rejected recently because they misunderstood something. I sent in another letter. Guess what? They covered me. I have insurance but couldn't cover my share of cost due to loss of job and crazy medical bills.

pinkpeonies

Tue, Sep 17 2019, 10:18 am

itsmeima wrote:

What’s the most absurd medical bill you have ever received? (wherever you live!)

I walked into the ER because I was severely dehydrated, gave my name and insurance at the front desk. The wait was forever so we went home and I forced myself to drink enormous amounts of fluids and got over it myself. We got a bill for $600 from the ER and we hadn’t even been seen!! I guess they charge for taking up space in they’re waiting room. It went to collections and after I screamed at the ppl calling all day, they got the hint, stopped calling, and it never affected my credit score

amother

Lawngreen

Tue, Sep 17 2019, 10:32 am

The medical care in the US is pathetic. Anyone defending it has just not been elsewhere. I have been treated in Israel and CANADA and will take their system any day. Yes it's not perfect but our system is insane. And yes you have people flocking across the border into Canada and Mexico to get their vital medication such as insulin because it's three times the price here. No ER will turn you away in Israel or Canada either. In my hospital on the other hand there is a sign at triage that says we do not take Medicaid and reserve the right to transfer you to another facility once stabilized. The stories here are crazy.

And btw medical debt doesn't not affect your credit score. At least not in my experience or anyone I know. We have gotten insane bills that we ignored and eventually they stopped coming and that was that.

amother

Tangerine

Tue, Sep 17 2019, 10:45 am

amother [ Lawngreen ] wrote:

That is not my sisters experience. Her baby got very sick and was severely dehydrated and he was turned away from the hospital because of a lack of insurance. It was crazy

amother

Chocolate

Sat, Sep 21 2019, 11:28 pm

dankbar wrote:

I've always found this argument fascinating - why do we care how much doctors get paid? Do we truly believe doctors are in this field because of the pay and if yes, why are we okay with that?

Scientists, researchers are the ones we should be cheering for!

amother

Lime

Sat, Sep 21 2019, 11:39 pm

amother [ Chocolate ] wrote:

NEWSFLASH: yes, doctors are in the field for the money!! Who would spend 8 years of their life studying outrageously hard, racking up astronomical debt, and working crazy hours for a pittance if not for the promise of a payoff?!

This is the key issue with socialism: it assumes an altruism that exists in very few people!!

"It is not from the benevolence of the butcher..."

amother

Chocolate

Sat, Sep 21 2019, 11:51 pm

amother [ Lime ] wrote:

Umm, apparently many people in Canada, England, Isreal, etc.

Side point, if they studied in a "socialist" country, they don't have students debt!

dankbar

Sat, Sep 21 2019, 11:59 pm

amother [ Chocolate ] wrote:

Yes many get into the field because they want to help people, but it's a job, they're in it for the money. If not for the big money, they wouldn't sustain & last at the job for years. Satisfaction, doesn't pay bills
Also, why would they invest time & effort to get better at what they are doing, if they won't have any gain from it & earn more?

Last edited by dankbar on Sun, Sep 22 2019, 9:22 am; edited 1 time in total

ally

Sun, Sep 22 2019, 7:51 am

dankbar wrote:

The biggest winners in this medical system are are the insurance companies closely followed by the pharmaceutical companies.

As for the doctors, plenty of professions invest as much if not more time to excel in their fields without earning those type of salaries. Like the researchers and academics who develop the science and the drugs.