ktgrok Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 A while back I took my 4 yr old in to the after hours pediatric clinic for a stomach virus. I also took the baby, as she had a diaper rash I couldn't seem to get cleared up, even with over the counter fungal creams, etc. I did say she'd been spitting up, but seemed fine otherwise. I mainly brought her in because strep was going around and can cause upset stomach fever (4 yr old) and rash (baby) so wanted to rule that out. Plus with MRSA, etc I was concerned when it didn't clear up,a nd she was horribly uncomfortable...it was really bad with some skin sloughing. He glanced at her and said it was a yeast rash and prescribed nystatin. No big deal. Didn't do a strep test on either. Just got the bill. For her alone: $373 new patient fee $225 extended visit fee That's nearly $600!!!! It seems they waived the new patient fee due to an insurance agreement, but that still leaves over $200 for a diaper rash. And of course, we haven't met the deductible yet. Yikes. yeah, I'd say healthcare in America is insane. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaraby Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Yeah, dh had to go to the ER for an alkaline liquid that got splashed in his eyes that I have not seen a bill for yet and I'm trying to not worry about too much. We have not met any of our deductibles and I think our health insurance has a separate ER/Urgent Care deductible. It will probably take me 6 months or more to pay our part off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 that's insane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 18, 2017 Author Share Posted July 18, 2017 Oh, and extended visit??? He looked at her for maybe 2 minutes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Oh, and extended visit??? He looked at her for maybe 2 minutes! Well at least you are not paying the 600. But yeah it sucks. I have been screwed by health care recently too. With an ER visit that was 2 mins and our out of pocket after insurance was 1k for the doctor. That wasn't even the out of pocket to pay the hospital. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carriede Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 I bet the extended visit is code for the after hours service. But yeah. Absolutely crazy. :( 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 That's nuts. I'm sorry. I've just given up my fight against First Choice ER. A couple of months ago dd4 suddenly got very ill. I was worried it was appendicitis the way it came on. Nearest hospital was 30 minutes away, and the Urgent Cares were closed, so I (stupidly) went to the First Choice ER (Which isn't really an ER in capabilities it turns out) that was 5 minutes away. I knew we had a $300 ER copay, but was in no way expecting the $8,900 bill they send to the insurance afterwards. We were there 40 minutes max. And it turned out NOT to be appendicitis. JUST to walk in the facility is apparently a $2300 dollar fee. They also misrepresented being in network. I since managed to get them classified as in-network and our insurance negotiated it down and paid over $4k to them, but that still left us with $1200+ $300+ $200 (doctor's fee- ha!) on our part. I hate that now you have to worry about being ripped off as much as your family's general well-being. It's ridiculous. I filed BBB complaints, and online complaints, but they don't care. They'll wreck your credit if you don't pay up, so you don't have a choice but to do so. I used to be anti-single payer, but I've since been driven by these companies to be a massive proponent to switch to single payer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baseball mom Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Holy cow that is CRAZY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 18, 2017 Author Share Posted July 18, 2017 I bet the extended visit is code for the after hours service. But yeah. Absolutely crazy. :( They only HAVE after hours there. It is a separate facility that just does urgent care stuff, but for kids. SaveSave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kesmom Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 That's nuts. I'm sorry. I've just given up my fight against First Choice ER. A couple of months ago dd4 suddenly got very ill. I was worried it was appendicitis the way it came on. Nearest hospital was 30 minutes away, and the Urgent Cares were closed, so I (stupidly) went to the First Choice ER (Which isn't really an ER in capabilities it turns out) that was 5 minutes away. I knew we had a $300 ER copay, but was in no way expecting the $8,900 bill they send to the insurance afterwards. We were there 40 minutes max. And it turned out NOT to be appendicitis. JUST to walk in the facility is apparently a $2300 dollar fee. They also misrepresented being in network. I since managed to get them classified as in-network and our insurance negotiated it down and paid over $4k to them, but that still left us with $1200+ $300+ $200 (doctor's fee- ha!) on our part. I hate that now you have to worry about being ripped off as much as your family's general well-being. It's ridiculous. I filed BBB complaints, and online complaints, but they don't care. They'll wreck your credit if you don't pay up, so you don't have a choice but to do so. I used to be anti-single payer, but I've since been driven by these companies to be a massive proponent to switch to single payer. Free standing ER's are generally rackets. I think your concern for quick treatment was quite legitimate in that situation, but had it been appendicitis they would have probably transported her to a hospital anyway. (with their premium rate, in-house ambulance) I'm not saying that to be critical of you at all. Those places are very misleading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 18, 2017 Author Share Posted July 18, 2017 And the dumb thing is, back in the day, you could just call the pediatrician for a script for a diaper rash, if need be. I know my mom did stuff like that, if they had a relationship with you, you were up to date on well visits, etc. But due to liability that isn't an option now. So you have to pay the big money for something like a diaper rash. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Ouch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Free standing ER's are generally rackets. I think your concern for quick treatment was quite legitimate in that situation, but had it been appendicitis they would have probably transported her to a hospital anyway. (with their premium rate, in-house ambulance) I'm not saying that to be critical of you at all. Those places are very misleading. Yeah- I would've driven her myself if the doc has said that was probably, but i thought they might diagnose faster locally. The local ER at the hospital usually seems to have a 3-4 hour wait unless you're bleeding out. I more than paid for the convenience of time I guess. :( The only thing that saved us from being on the hook for the whole 8k was that the insurance review deemed it was emergent with her symptoms. If they hadn't, or I had taken her for something less serious, they wouldn't have covered a dime because it was First Choice. Believe me. It was a hard lesson learned. Only real hospital attached ERs for me from now on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 How frustrating! Ugh. It reminds me of a time that I had an appointment for something (can't even remember what -- maybe my yearly exam?), and during that appointment I showed the doctor a wart on my hand, and he asked me if I wanted it removed so I said yes. He whipped out his acid drops or whatever it was and dropped a couple on them and was done in three minutes. I got the bill and saw that I had been charged for SURGERY for that. So, my regular appointment charge, plus SURGERY, which was over $800 extra. I fought it for some time but could not get it changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KayT Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Yep. Dh works at a hospital that has been opening 'mini hospitals' around the city. They might look like or you might think they are an urgent care and expect to pay the urgent care fee, but then find it counts as an ER visit. They are truly mini hospitals with an ER, inpatient and outpatient services. One of his co-workers was even taken by surprise when he went to what he thought was an Urgent Care, but turned out to be a mini-hospital. I can see the need for smaller, more personalized local care, but they need to explain things a bit more or it starts to get into bait and switch territory. Yes, I thought I was going to an urgent care but it turned out to be one of these ER you are talking about and my bladder infection cost $1700. I was the only patient ( apparently everyone else is smarter than me) and everyone was sitting around drinking coffee. All I did was pee in a cup. Will not make that mistake again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 yeah, I'd say healthcare in America is insane. That's an understatement... just saying. Youngest got a $390 bill for a typhoid (or maybe Hepatitis? My memory is going...) shot for his upcoming trip to Jordan. I guess they decided to do an exam too, but from what I heard, it wasn't much of one. How frustrating! Ugh. It reminds me of a time that I had an appointment for something (can't even remember what -- maybe my yearly exam?), and during that appointment I showed the doctor a wart on my hand, and he asked me if I wanted it removed so I said yes. He whipped out his acid drops or whatever it was and dropped a couple on them and was done in three minutes. I got the bill and saw that I had been charged for SURGERY for that. So, my regular appointment charge, plus SURGERY, which was over $800 extra. I fought it for some time but could not get it changed. Wow. Earlier today hubby had a basic dermatology appt to keep up on skin spots he has. One was frozen and removed, but his whole body was examined. The total bill was $165 - nothing else coming our way (or insurance, etc). How can some prices be so reasonable (as that one seems) and some so out of line (as in the OP or with youngest's vax need)? Like I said... an understatement. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 I'm not sure if anybody else said this, but I'd try calling the clinic and asking them how they define an "extended" visit. And then argue about whether my kid's visit met their definition, if I thought it didn't meet the definition they give. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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