First hospital bill came in - $80,000! UPDATE Post #1

[Alabama ee]

Quote:
You have a good point

 

[DuckLady]

Is it a bill or a statement of charges?

Whenever I have had medical care, I get a statement of charges.

Then my insurance tells the provider what they allow under their contract.
Then the insurance pays their part of the allowed charges.
I pay my part of the allowed charges under that same contract,.
The provider writes off the rest.

 

[gritsar]

Right now the bill is in the hands of the workman's comp. nurse. She is trying to get the workman's comp. to cover at least part of the heart hospital bill. Yes I know she works on behalf of workman's comp. and has their best interest at heart, but she's been very helpful to us as well.

 

[b.hromada]

All I can say is, wow.

 

[coffeelady3]

I agree with the others who suggested you check your policy for an out of pocket maximum. Mine is $2500/year. After that everything is paid 100%.

 

[curliet]

Kat, I don't have any expertise at all in these matters, but common sense tells me that the broken leg and the heart atack have a direct connection to one another. It's good that your Workman's comp nurse seems to be on your side, because you really do need to have someone 'on the inside' to advocate for you. There are usually offices within the hospitals that do this too, connected with the billing department. They usually try to help the patient connect with the resources that they think can help them solve billing and payment problems. They also are called patient advocates.

BTW, if workman's comp pays, I don't believe that you have to pay any co-pay, do you?

Other than this little bit of fluff, I don't really have anything to say except that I am keeping you close in my heart and thoughts, and sending hopes for strength and patience and good health.

 

[deb1]

Gritsar, I would faint if I got that bill. Please keep us informed about what is happening.

It is good that the nurse is trying to help you. Your workman's comp should pay the entire bill.

 

[3goodeggs]

 

[phoenixmama]

Quote:
Gritsar -- yotetrapper may be right. Mine does -- I think it like a max of $7500.00 (and I think that's for both my hubby and I -- so I think it's less than that if it's for just one of us). When I was shopping around for insurance I did notice that most, if not all the plans did have a max out of pocket. It's worth checking into! And I've had to make arrangements with billing before. They've always been pretty good -- even knocking down one bill by $400.00 (original bill was $1200.00) if I paid it all at once. And I've paid monthly before, too. Much more manageable that way!

Yes, they do...but what always gets you is the "usual, reasonable, and customary" thing.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Gritsar -- yotetrapper may be right. Mine does -- I think it like a max of $7500.00 (and I think that's for both my hubby and I -- so I think it's less than that if it's for just one of us). When I was shopping around for insurance I did notice that most, if not all the plans did have a max out of pocket. It's worth checking into! And I've had to make arrangements with billing before. They've always been pretty good -- even knocking down one bill by $400.00 (original bill was $1200.00) if I paid it all at once. And I've paid monthly before, too. Much more manageable that way!

Yes, they do...but what always gets you is the "usual, reasonable, and customary" thing.

Depending on the insurance plan and whether the hospital is In-Network or Out-of-Network, it may be contractually obligated to adjust its pricing to meet "reasonable and customary." Most In-Network health care providers of whatever sort have this type of contractual obligation, whereas Out-of-Network providers do not have a contract with the insurance company.