coming soon to a hospital near you: hmm patient has bad credit let him die

[strmrdr]

woops too bad it was the result of identity theft...


http://redtape.msnbc.com/2008/01/the-doctor-wi-1.html

 

[strmrdr]

It does remind me of the time I was in the ER for an asthma attack before my asthma was somewhat under controll and was at the time making payments towards a balance from the last time.
Accounting lady comes in and said they wanted 10% of the estimated bill before I left which was around $500 right in the middle of the third breathing treatment in 40 min. while waiting for the cat scan too check for another PE.
I riped it up and tossed it at her and told her that I guess im going too be here a long time if they are going too wait for it.
Then the doc came in and threw her out which was kinda kewl LOL

 

[lyra]

Date: 1/19/2008 11:50:22 AM
Author: strmrdr
It does remind me of the time I was in the ER for an asthma attack before my asthma was somewhat under controll and was at the time making payments towards a balance from the last time.
Accounting lady comes in and said they wanted 10% of the estimated bill before I left which was around $500 right in the middle of the third breathing treatment in 40 min. while waiting for the cat scan too check for another PE.
I riped it up and tossed it at her and told her that I guess im going too be here a long time if they are going too wait for it.
Then the doc came in and threw her out which was kinda kewl LOL

That's unbelievable! I'm in Canada. We'd be homeless and on the streets right now if we had that system since my husband had an incident several years ago. He was bleeding to death internally and ended up in ICU for a week. He required surgery and a high level of care and wasn't even expected to live. There's just no way we could have ever paid a bill for that! It's just not right that the average person in the US can face bankruptcy at any point over hospital costs. Retired people can lose everything. Our system is not perfect, but at least it's not discriminating to that degree.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/19/2008 12:27:32 PM
Author: lyra

It''s just not right that the average person in the US can face bankruptcy at any point over hospital costs. Retired people can lose everything. Our system is not perfect, but at least it''s not discriminating to that degree.

Medical bills ARE high up on the list of why Americans file for Bankruptcy (both my c/s cost $15K EACH and insurance only covered 80% of the 30K. We had to make payments for years!).

 

[asscherisme]

Everytime I have been to the local emergency room with my kids- They ALWAYSl walk in to the room while we are waiting for the doctor and ask me for my insurance card and credit card for my co-pay. Everytime. My child once was bleeding profusely from the face, waiting on stiches and I''m holding her comforting her because she is screaming and the business person had to hand me my purse to go through and get my wallet out. Pisses me off to no end. I asked her what if I had no insurance, would they kick me out? No answer. Makes me think yes.

 

[somethingshiny]

I've had nothing but the best service at my hospital of choice. It's a small hospital (because we're all small towns here), but they always take me in to ER before getting anything financial.

However, I was at work one day and had an allergic reaction to a flu shot that was administered in my office. A while after the shot, I got a severe bloody nose and was vomiting pretty much continuously. One of my co-workers drove me the 3 blocks to the nearest hospital where I waited, gushing and puking all over the waiting room for nearly an hour. Mind you NO ONE else was in ER. Just me, but they had to fill out all the paperwork before they would do anything. SO, I'm dizzy from puking and loss of blood, I keep trying to get to the restroom when I feel another chucking coming. Finally, after my friend shouts "SOMEONE NEEDS TO HELP MY FRIEND" I'm taken into a room, given a puke bucket, and given a shot to stop the puking and some nasal cauterization. Then, they consider giving me a transfusion. (which we wouldn't have had to worry about if someone could have stopped the bleeding before an hour and a half goes by)

Oh, and when I left the hospital, I went to the restroom to clean up a bit. My blood was still splattered everywhere. I thought that was quite disgusting.

 

[Lynn B]

I work in a hospital, and while I totally believe you guys'' experiences, I have to honestly say that it''s hard to imagine!!! Our hospital is NOT perfect by any means, but those types of behaviors mentioned above would NOT be tolerated, period!

I would like to say it''s entirely because of compassion and altruism, but I think a large part of it is fear of a lawsuit. But which or whatever, the patients get what they need, and I guess that''s what''s most important!

 

[~*Alexis*~]

Ok guys I thought I would stay out of this thread but I need to say my piece..what you are talking about is MY JOB!!

Do I like going into patients rooms and asking them for their $5,000 deductible or their 20% of their medicare? No, however, this is the growing trend. We are a non-profit hospital. So we RELY on people to pay their bills.

When a patient comes into the hospital and they owe the hospital over $20,000 from unpaid bills we have to talk to them per hospital policy. I know every patient that gets admitted to the hospital, what their coverage is and how much they owe.

I hate to tell you this, but people that go to the hospital will now be REQUIRED to submit some sort of payment or make payment arrangement with their clinic or hospitals. I know this sucks, and yes I totally agree with what you are all saying but hospitals are a business as well as a place for healing. If a patient says bill me, we bill them simple as that. If they ask for a payment plan, we make a payment plan, however, if you are coming in to the hospital for OB/delivery and you owe $500 bucks, you have had 9 months for saving for your bill.

HOWEVER, I also see patients who do not have insurance or owe a large ded. and I help them with Charity Assistance and I help them with secondary ins, medicaid, or figuring out another alternative.

BE NICE TO THESE PEOPLE...trust me....we get yelled at enough!!! Who would be there to take care of your sick grandma in the hospital with a 20% copay from a $30,000 bill?


No I am not taking this personally, just asking for some compassion..this will be the norm soon enough!

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 1/20/2008 11:12:51 PM
Author: ~*Alexis*~
Ok guys I thought I would stay out of this thread but I need to say my piece..what you are talking about is MY JOB!!

Do I like going into patients rooms and asking them for their $5,000 deductible or their 20% of their medicare? No, however, this is the growing trend. We are a non-profit hospital. So we RELY on people to pay their bills.

When a patient comes into the hospital and they owe the hospital over $20,000 from unpaid bills we have to talk to them per hospital policy. I know every patient that gets admitted to the hospital, what their coverage is and how much they owe.

I hate to tell you this, but people that go to the hospital will now be REQUIRED to submit some sort of payment or make payment arrangement with their clinic or hospitals. I know this sucks, and yes I totally agree with what you are all saying but hospitals are a business as well as a place for healing. If a patient says bill me, we bill them simple as that. If they ask for a payment plan, we make a payment plan, however, if you are coming in to the hospital for OB/delivery and you owe $500 bucks, you have had 9 months for saving for your bill.

HOWEVER, I also see patients who do not have insurance or owe a large ded. and I help them with Charity Assistance and I help them with secondary ins, medicaid, or figuring out another alternative.

BE NICE TO THESE PEOPLE...trust me....we get yelled at enough!!! Who would be there to take care of your sick grandma in the hospital with a 20% copay from a $30,000 bill?


No I am not taking this personally, just asking for some compassion..this will be the norm soon enough!

Then tax payers can file complaints and get federal/state funding cut off.
All of the local hospitals but one were built with taxpayer money and the one that wasn't is actually the most generous working with the working poor.

When that hospital was looking for federal funds for a second mri machine that they charge $1500 per exam for I wrote my reps and had a lot of other people do the the same.
If the hospital isn't going to support the community then they don't deserve taxpayer money.
They didn't get the money and were told too buy it themselves.

They are going to be applying for a state grant soon according too the news and I'm going too try and help sink that one too.

btw: at the time I owed them less than $1000 and had paid them over $2k allready on it.

 

[strmrdr]

this is what really ticks me off...
State gants in 2007...

cut:
$50,000 for Crusader Clinic of Rockford to buy medical equipment and outfit women’s health services
Which is a clinic that helps anyone on a sliding scale and is the primary care for a lot of working poor

passed:
$150,000 for Rockford Memorial Hospital for infrastructure improvements

Which is a for profit hospital that goes out of the way too make it hard on the working poor and was built with taxpayer funds but then bought out by a for profit company for next too nothing a few year back.

That is flat out wrong.

My state reps heard about that one but since RM is a major campaign contributor they wont likely listen.

 

[strmrdr]

nothing personal ~*Alexis*~ but this subject ticks me off.
The people one the front end that I have dealt with have been nice caring people the back office people very much not so.
It is fun when the hospital administrator gets raked over the coals by a major contributor to the hospital foundation wing over it however :}
Reminds I should check and see if he moved his giving over too another hospital like he was talking about over all the complaints about that one.

 

[~*Alexis*~]

Storm, I totally see where you are coming from and for the most part I agree, i was just stating that not all hospitals are bad, in some cases, federal funding is a big contributing factor as to how much money they get and where it goes.

Do I agree 100% with what we do with the $$? No, but I also know that if you talk openly at meetings the hospital holds frequently, your voice will be heard and people will listen (granted you get someone that cares to listen).

For profit hospitals are different than us, I will say that. Very different. however, getting your insurance straight in the beginning is better than later when your ins. get denied and you get stuck with a bill thats 10k, or better yet, the entire bill.

When it comes to your bill, and if you were paying on it in good faith, I would have simply stated that your wished to add it to the existing payment plan you had with the hospital.

NO hospital can refuse treatment to anyone reguardless if they can afford to pay you or not. Which is good for the most part...there are people here in MD that come here and they go to the ER as if it is their primary Dr, and when I have to go see them, I know that I will not collect a dime, and that effects me at the end of the fiscal quarter.

But look at it this way, if you have an ER visit, thats understandable that people will probably not be able or afford to pay for their medical treatment. But if you are coming to the hospital for an elective procedure than you better be able to pay up, or at least a portion of it.

Don''t be affraid to call and ask the hospital to speak with a patient advocate or a patient financial serivces counselor (my job). We are more than willing to help people out so they dont go to bad debt. We try every avenue before we send someone to bad debt, just because where I live, alot of people are living on SS or on a fixed income and they cannot afford their medicare deductable ($1,024) every 60 days.....