OT: Charge for the emergency room

So I went to the ER back in April with my first kidney stone. My wife thought that was what it was since she has had several before. It was on my right side so just wanted to verify it wasn't my appendix.

It moved quickly so I went in and was out in around 1.5-2 hours. I actually never saw a doctor except on the IPad releasing me. I saw nurses about 3-4 times total to get an IV, going to get scanned, and getting a morphine shot.

I just received the bill about 1 month ago and it was $1,000 after my insurance. This is just for doctors and nurses. I already paid the hospital and the Dr who "read" my scan which took under 5 minutes. $600 for 5 minutes work is great if you can get it.

So the bill was "rated" at a Level 5 which is the highest level. I had it reviewed and they said that was correct due to the possibility of appendix issues. Would you not actually get physically examined if it was a level 5? Since that is the highest level, that is supposed to be the same care as heart attack victims or gun shot wounds.

Is there anything else I can do? I feel like this is price gouging since I might have been the only person in the ER at the time due to the country shutdown.

If you have cash ready to pay, call up there and offer to pay it in full for a reduced rate. May not work with a small bill like this, but I did this once. 14k, I said I?d pay 6k right now but don?t have 14 and they took it.

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Originally Posted by Tbonewannabe

So I went to the ER back in April with my first kidney stone. My wife thought that was what it was since she has had several before. It was on my right side so just wanted to verify it wasn't my appendix.

It moved quickly so I went in and was out in around 1.5-2 hours. I actually never saw a doctor except on the IPad releasing me. I saw nurses about 3-4 times total to get an IV, going to get scanned, and getting a morphine shot.

I just received the bill about 1 month ago and it was $1,000 after my insurance. This is just for doctors and nurses. I already paid the hospital and the Dr who "read" my scan which took under 5 minutes. $600 for 5 minutes work is great if you can get it.

So the bill was "rated" at a Level 5 which is the highest level. I had it reviewed and they said that was correct due to the possibility of appendix issues. Would you not actually get physically examined if it was a level 5? Since that is the highest level, that is supposed to be the same care as heart attack victims or gun shot wounds.

Is there anything else I can do? I feel like this is price gouging since I might have been the only person in the ER at the time due to the country shutdown.

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I feel your pain. Literally. I had a kidney stone last month. Didn't need an er visit because I recognized it early (I've had 7 and they all were so big they needed a surgical solution) and got in with my doc and set up an outpatient surgery. So had the surgery and got the bills.

I have 3 different bills for anesthesia. There is a charge on the main hospital bill. A separate bill from the hospital. And a bill from a private group. It's insane.

Yep you gotta pay for all those hours resources sitting there. No one likes it but that is the model to balance out. If you have something serious, you don't want the lowest bidder with degree from Pheonix University online two year degree working on you either.

The cost piece and doctor shortage is what has led to so many nurse practitioners today too. 40 years ago there was no such thing.

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Originally Posted by R2Dawg

Yep you gotta pay for all those hours resources sitting there. No one likes it but that is the model to balance out. If you have something serious, you don't want the lowest bidder with degree from Pheonix University online two year degree working on you either.

The cost piece and doctor shortage is what has led to so many nurse practitioners today too. 40 years ago there was no such thing.

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I understand that but does anyone understand the Medical coding part? I asked the person what is an example of a level 1-4 but they wouldn't answer and said they would review it. The letter from the review just said since there was a possibility of appendix issues that they agreed it was a Level 5.

I am like what the hell is a level 1-4? Is it where you come in for an aspirin?

Just ignore it like half the country would.

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Originally Posted by Rex54

Just ignore it like half the country would.

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He isn't wrong. The stack of garnishments I receive every year on our employees proves it.

Thank heaven I have the VA and a good one here in Biloxi. I am covered for 100% as long as I go to a VA approved Doctor/clinic since i have a service connected injury, Parachute failure. Years ago I had Colon scope done tat a local hospital. Got 4 bills after my Insurance paid out totaling over a grand. If you are a vet go see what VA benefits there are.

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Originally Posted by parabrave

Thank heaven I have the VA and a good one here in Biloxi. I am covered for 100% as long as I go to a VA approved Doctor/clinic since i have a service connected injury, Parachute failure. Years ago I had Colon scope done tat a local hospital. Got 4 bills after my Insurance paid out totaling over a grand. If you are a vet go see what VA benefits there are.

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Yes, they have good verteran's health care in Biloxi. A friend of mine, also our "bug man", was a special forces paratrooper, and he had to go to Birmingham for any service. They finally opened a VA clinic here, but if you need anything major you still have to go down there. This is sort of a good place for military people to retire to. I think the census says Madison County has well over 30,000 veterans here, so you'd think they might consider a full-fledged hospital at some point.

From what I hear as long as you pay them ?something? every month they pretty much will take it. I don?t know how true that is.

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Originally Posted by Dawgology

From what I hear as long as you pay them ?something? every month they pretty much will take it. I don?t know how true that is.

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True, at least in my experience. They will usually let u set the amount u will pay per month as long as it's reasonable. Much better deal than putting it on a credit card cause there's no interest.

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Originally Posted by Rex54

Just ignore it like half the country would.

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You think it's honorable to pay a multi-thousand dollar Monopoly money bill for something as simple as a kidney stone? All the while the big time insurance executives sit around and make bank off not helping anyone out

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Originally Posted by chef dixon

You think it's honorable to pay a multi-thousand dollar Monopoly money bill for something as simple as a kidney stone? All the while the big time insurance executives sit around and make bank off not helping anyone out

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No, I literally suggested the opposite of paying it. #Medicare4All

I've utilized 2 methods in the past, and both have worked:

1. Pay 'em $10/month (or something nominal) @ 0%.
2. Settle it for ~33% in cashola.

Good luck!

Two options which have been mentioned, pay something each month, or call and offer cash payment. Both work, more than likely it will be reduced around 33%. Good luck.

Hey TUSK is there a VA near you?

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Originally Posted by parabrave

Hey TUSK is there a VA near you?

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there's a clinic in Columbus, MS (~10 miles) and a "good one" in Tuscaloosa (~50 miles)....

Now the VA contracts with the local Doc in a Box for regular I feel sick care and for Covid testing. After hours we can use the ER which is top notch here in Biloxi.

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Originally Posted by Rex54

No, I literally suggested the opposite of paying it. #Medicare4All

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I've stopped knocking Medicare For All. I'm so tired of being raped by our current system that I'll take an honest look at anything, though it wouldn't be my first choice in an ideal world.

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Originally Posted by Joebob

I've stopped knocking Medicare For All. I'm so tired of being raped by our current system that I'll take an honest look at anything, though it wouldn't be my first choice in an ideal world.

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Stop wasting trillions on dumb wars, stop letting in millions of wage lowering wards of the state, and stop letting the super rich horde all the wealth.

My only thing is this.
Republicans had 10 years to improve the affordable healthcare act, they did absolutely nothing. No proposed legislation. Nothing. Not even a plan out in the public to start a conversation.

Democrats have at least proposed possible system changes in more concrete schmatic level plans. Regardless of what you think, the current system doesn't work the the vast majority of citizens. It is better than the bullshit from 1996-2009 though.

I am here to announce my candidacy for US Senate. I bet I can get me and 5 other people in a room and hammer out a compromise in about a week.
6 senators and 4 industry leaders. Surely it can be done.

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Originally Posted by Lord McBuckethead

Surely it can be done.

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Getting 10 people to agree to something? I suggest using the "Luca Brasi" method.**

https://64.media.tumblr.com/cc7fb6eb...o8go2_400.gifv

So far, seems cheap post insurance.

You may be getting additional bills, that's how they get you. My last trip to the ER (broken scapula) had several additional charges from other sources. It's out-of-hand, for sure.

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Originally Posted by Lord McBuckethead

My only thing is this.
Republicans had 10 years to improve the affordable healthcare act, they did absolutely nothing. No proposed legislation. Nothing. Not even a plan out in the public to start a conversation.

Democrats have at least proposed possible system changes in more concrete schmatic level plans. Regardless of what you think, the current system doesn't work the the vast majority of citizens. It is better than the bullshit from 1996-2009 though.

I am here to announce my candidacy for US Senate. I bet I can get me and 5 other people in a room and hammer out a compromise in about a week.
6 senators and 4 industry leaders. Surely it can be done.

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You give politicians too much credit!! I am convinced they are all dumbasses and crookeder than a dog's hind leg. They are very self centered and think of only how to line their pockets. I think we need to vote all of those dumbasses out of office regardless of party!

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Originally Posted by Lord McBuckethead

My only thing is this.
Republicans had 10 years to improve the affordable healthcare act, they did absolutely nothing. No proposed legislation. Nothing. Not even a plan out in the public to start a conversation.

Democrats have at least proposed possible system changes in more concrete schmatic level plans. Regardless of what you think, the current system doesn't work the the vast majority of citizens. It is better than the bullshit from 1996-2009 though.

I am here to announce my candidacy for US Senate. I bet I can get me and 5 other people in a room and hammer out a compromise in about a week.
6 senators and 4 industry leaders. Surely it can be done.

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There have been plans put out by republicans, but they don't get much publicity because it's a political loser to acknowledge reality with healthcare. It's basically a part of social security and medicare. About all you can propose is that you're going to put more money into it but other people are going to pay for it.

I think they should just go ahead and do medicaid for all. It will be painful for a lot of physicians that are used to private and medicare reimbursements, and there will be a lot of bad debt on healthcare facilities, but we're not really getting any benefits of a market, and just holding in this bastardized system that has no market but also no price controls isn't accomplishing anything.

If we went to a medicaid for all system, you'd actually see some innovation as the healthcare industry tries to offer people that can afford it more readily accessible and nicer care for an affordable price. And instead of being opponents of relaxing regulations that hurt the position of their cartel, you'd see them pushing for it so they could try to come up with business models that make them more money than medicaid reimbursements.

This would also have the effect of suddenly making entitlements manageable. If Medicare was just part of medicaid, the costs would go way down and you'd have a lot of affluent seniors essentially opt out so that they could get better or more accessible treatments.