Negotiating a hospital bill

[elfinbaby]

My ds, 2 yrs., recently went to the ER. He is uninsured. He swiped one of his sister's anti-seizure meds. I called the pharmacist, dr. and an urgent care clinic. All said go to the ER. We did, they called poison control (which we should have done but I thought a dr. and pharm. would know more) and there was nothing to be done but observe him. He was there for 3 hrs. w/a little bandage thingie on his toe for his pulse. The dr. bill (which is separate from the hospital) was $272 - that's fine. The hospital bill was $2508 - $526 b/c he was uninsured. So, we got a bill for $1981 from the hospital. My itemized bill is one line "Visit ER IV w/25" which means he was a level 4 urgency - it can't be high urgency, he wasn't exhibiting ANY symptoms and no treatment was required.

 

I spoke with customer service today and this is a set fee for "registration and communication with the family". I think it's a bit high to say the least. He sat on a bed with the pulse thing. It's non-negotiable I'm told. We're not going to qualify for assistance and I was told there's no one else for me to talk to. I can have the bill audited, call patient advocacy, and that's about it. Sure, they have a payment plan - still not doable - and my mom assures me that if I just pay something a month, they will be satisfied but I'm still mad that it costs $2K to walk in an ER.

 

I don't think I have any more options but I thought I'd ask. I'd be stunned by the whole bill but dd had 5 stitches a couple of years ago WITH INSURANCE and the hospital fee for walking in was still $1700. It's just so wrong!

[Lawana]

Oh gosh, that is beyond frustrating. Maybe you can borrow my dh. He's really good at negotiating bills.

I hate the "business" of medicine. If you are to be liable for the bill, why can't you find out ahead of time what the cost will be, then decide if it's worth it???

[Laurie4b]

My ds, 2 yrs., recently went to the ER. He is uninsured. He swiped one of his sister's anti-seizure meds. I called the pharmacist, dr. and an urgent care clinic. All said go to the ER. We did, they called poison control (which we should have done but I thought a dr. and pharm. would know more) and there was nothing to be done but observe him. He was there for 3 hrs. w/a little bandage thingie on his toe for his pulse. The dr. bill (which is separate from the hospital) was $272 - that's fine. The hospital bill was $2508 - $526 b/c he was uninsured. So, we got a bill for $1981 from the hospital. My itemized bill is one line "Visit ER IV w/25" which means he was a level 4 urgency - it can't be high urgency, he wasn't exhibiting ANY symptoms and no treatment was required.

 

I spoke with customer service today and this is a set fee for "registration and communication with the family". I think it's a bit high to say the least. He sat on a bed with the pulse thing. It's non-negotiable I'm told. We're not going to qualify for assistance and I was told there's no one else for me to talk to. I can have the bill audited, call patient advocacy, and that's about it. Sure, they have a payment plan - still not doable - and my mom assures me that if I just pay something a month, they will be satisfied but I'm still mad that it costs $2K to walk in an ER.

 

I don't think I have any more options but I thought I'd ask. I'd be stunned by the whole bill but dd had 5 stitches a couple of years ago WITH INSURANCE and the hospital fee for walking in was still $1700. It's just so wrong!

 

There is usually a person at a hospital in charge of negotiating patient bills, but it is based on ability to pay, not on the "fairness" of the charges. If you want to reduce the bill, go for that.

 

The extra charge for "uninsured" is unbelieveable. Someone is uninsured so you penalize them? Most people are uninsured because they are out of work or there is no insurance at work or they are self-employed and can't afford anything that way...ie they have less money to start with. If you want to pick at that part, I'd call a local media outlet that does consumer advocacy on air. You'd be doing a lot of people a favor.

[StephanieZ]

No suggestions, but plenty of sympathy.

 

If it makes you feel any better, we spend over $1200/mo on insurance (and this is actually a good deal, as our little group is generally younger and healthier than dh & I), so. . . we all pay for it one way or another.

 

Our health care system is just broken. So sorry!

[Guest janainaz]

We have insurance - we pay over $800 a month to insurure our family and we STILL have enormous doctor bills - on account of my dh and all his health issues. My kids never go to the doctor. I go once a year.

 

The healthcare system is corrupt, and we pay what we can. But honestly, lights and food and housing comes first before the healthcare system dips their greedy paws into my bank account. I'm over it! Take my house, take what I have, but you are NOT making me a slave to the two-parent working system! We live as sensibly as we can. We share a car, we pay our bills, we do the best we can, and it's never good enough.

 

Maybe my advice is ridiculous, but when an evil system is at work, I just do the best I can. I'm not losing sleep because our health system is SATAN. :glare:

[kat19]

Hospitals have financial help available. I would call and check into it.

[Dawn in OH]

Are you sure can't qualify for any assistance? Even if your income is too high for state assistance like Medicaid, many hospitals have assistance plans for treatment, via the hospital itself. It often has a much higher income limit than state assistance.

 

While I would still try to negotiate the bill, in the end, just pay $10 a month if that's all you can manage. They cannot send you to collections as long as you are making a payment.

[Miss Sherry]

My ds, 2 yrs., recently went to the ER. He is uninsured. He swiped one of his sister's anti-seizure meds. I called the pharmacist, dr. and an urgent care clinic. All said go to the ER. We did, they called poison control (which we should have done but I thought a dr. and pharm. would know more) and there was nothing to be done but observe him. He was there for 3 hrs. w/a little bandage thingie on his toe for his pulse. The dr. bill (which is separate from the hospital) was $272 - that's fine. The hospital bill was $2508 - $526 b/c he was uninsured. So, we got a bill for $1981 from the hospital. My itemized bill is one line "Visit ER IV w/25" which means he was a level 4 urgency - it can't be high urgency, he wasn't exhibiting ANY symptoms and no treatment was required.

 

I spoke with customer service today and this is a set fee for "registration and communication with the family". I think it's a bit high to say the least. He sat on a bed with the pulse thing. It's non-negotiable I'm told. We're not going to qualify for assistance and I was told there's no one else for me to talk to. I can have the bill audited, call patient advocacy, and that's about it. Sure, they have a payment plan - still not doable - and my mom assures me that if I just pay something a month, they will be satisfied but I'm still mad that it costs $2K to walk in an ER.

 

I don't think I have any more options but I thought I'd ask. I'd be stunned by the whole bill but dd had 5 stitches a couple of years ago WITH INSURANCE and the hospital fee for walking in was still $1700. It's just so wrong!

Several years ago we had to take our son to the ER and we didn't have insurance and had just gone through a short time of unemployment, twice in one year, and two 2000 mile long distance moves. So funds were short.

 

What I did was just send them payments. I enclosed a note telling them that we intended to continue to pay them until it was paid in full. Every month they sent me a bill for the total amount stating the total was due in full and every month I sent them a small payment. They never sent it to collections and we continued to pay until it was paid in full.

[cjbeach]

Call Financial services at the hospital and ask to speak with a patient account rep. Explain the situation and that you would like arrange payment arrangements/payment plan.

[Guest janainaz]

Call Financial services at the hospital and ask to speak with a patient account rep. Explain the situation and that you would like arrange payment arrangements/payment plan.

 

Oh yeah, they'll give you a great payment arrangement.

 

And the next time it happens, even if you are insured, they'll do it again.

 

And the next time, and the next time. Until all your payment arrangements equal your mortgage payment, or your rent.

 

Yes, good advice, but real life situations are often more tricky and complicated than that.

[G5052]

And in most states they set the terms. Paying $10/month is not necessarily going to keep it from going to collection either. Hospitals have very complex rules about how much and when they expect payment that aren't necessarily published. And the fact that you came to and accepted staying in the ER that long means that you accepted that level of care. Something to that affect was in the paperwork you signed there.

 

Call or visit the billing department and ask to speak to a supervisor or billing counselor and explain the whole thing. Maybe there's another path, but keep in mind that they hear this sort of thing every day and maybe all they'll do is explain the payment plan and when they turn things over to collection.

 

Those of us who haven insurance don't necessarily have it easier though. I spend hours and hours checking and negotiating our bills.

[mum]

If you a pay even a tiny bit each month they are usually happy. I have asked, and got, a 25% discount for paying the whole bill at once. I have learned through bitter experience like yours to go to a prompt care instead of ER. There are 24 hour ones, and they bill much more like a doctor, not like a hospital. Around here they are significantly cleaner and less scary than the ER and much less wait time. In the ER you aren't necessarily paying for services, you are paying just to be in the room. I'm so sorry for your experience.

[LizzyBee]

If you sign a payment arrangement and then miss a payment, they can send it to collections because the signed agreement makes it an installment agreement rather than a medical bill. As long as it's a medical bill and not an installment agreement, they can't send you to collections if you make some payment at least once every 28 days. When I had my babies and the hospitals wanted me to sign a payment arrangement, I conveniently "forgot" to sign it and send it back to them because I wanted to keep the balance due classified as a medical bill.

[LizzyBee]

There is usually a person at a hospital in charge of negotiating patient bills, but it is based on ability to pay, not on the "fairness" of the charges. If you want to reduce the bill, go for that.

 

The extra charge for "uninsured" is unbelieveable. Someone is uninsured so you penalize them? Most people are uninsured because they are out of work or there is no insurance at work or they are self-employed and can't afford anything that way...ie they have less money to start with. If you want to pick at that part, I'd call a local media outlet that does consumer advocacy on air. You'd be doing a lot of people a favor.

 

They subtracted $526, not added it.

[elfinbaby]

My update:

 

So I called billing and they weren't helpful and were a little bit sassy BUT I did keep the woman on the phone long enough (and asked endless questions) until I got names and numbers beyond what I could possibly need. I called the number for Patient Advocacy and they took a look at the bill. A few weeks later the 2K bill was decreased to $500. Much better:D It's always good to call!

[elegantlion]

Glad to hear the good news. Last year my dh went via ambulance to the ER and had a cat scan for a concussion. The entire bill wasn't that much, and we're self-pay (uninsured however you want to word it).

[KidsHappen]

If you sign a payment arrangement and then miss a payment, they can send it to collections because the signed agreement makes it an installment agreement rather than a medical bill. As long as it's a medical bill and not an installment agreement, they can't send you to collections if you make some payment at least once every 28 days. When I had my babies and the hospitals wanted me to sign a payment arrangement, I conveniently "forgot" to sign it and send it back to them because I wanted to keep the balance due classified as a medical bill.

 

 

This doesn't really help at all. The hospital can take you to court and get a judgement. Then the judge can order you to pay a certain amount per month and it might not neccesarily be an amount you feel that you can afford. You can ignore a collection agency literally forever. I don't think collection agencies have much recourse. The took on a risky investment. I have never heard of a collection agency getting a judgement ordering a person to pay. Furthermore, even if someone gets a judgement ordering you to pay something, it is their job to collect. The only people that can garnish wages is the government. Ordinary creditors do not have that ability. Of course, it will show up on your credit record but it will be listed as a medical bill and people tend to be very forgiving of medical bills.