Tips to reduce hospital bills (low income, health insurance, credit report)

[BillsKills]

I just got laid off about 2 months ago and started using a private insurance with a deductible of about $7000.
My son got hospitalized for just 1 night at Texas Pediactric hospital a few weeks ago.
I received the bill and it's around $5000 + ambulance of $600.
Since it is less than deductible, I have to pay the whole amount in 1 or 2 years depending on how long i want to pay.

My question is do you have any tips on how to reduce hospital bills?

I've been reading that Illegals get "free" medical. Dont know how they do that.

I am not illegal but if they could get it for free, how come a taxpayer like me has to pay $5000 for just 1 night in-patient.

[Poltracker]

You should see about enrolling your children in the CHIPS program while you are out of work. Also, make sure you get a detailed copy of the bill and go over it thoroughly.

[chris_ut]

Illegals getting free medical care is just right wing propaganda. You got free medical care too right, I mean you didn't have to pay up front for it and if you walk away now with out paying then it would also be "free". Like Poltracker stated you want to see if you qualify for CHIP which is subsidized medical care for children of low income workers. You may nto qualify though if you made decent money last year, I think its based on your federal tax AGI but go ahead and check into it.

[lane_change]

Yes. Illegals get free because they go the ER (where they can't be turned away) and then stiff the bill. It is right wing propaganda but it is also true...and it is a highly debatable ethics topic. Is that fair for people to rip the system off? Should the system be allowed to deny services to those people? What if it was a true emergency, surely you can't just let them bleed out in the parking lot. I don't want to get into it right now, but that is the definition of "free".....stolen.

Normally if you explain the hospital that you are paying cash, no insurance, then you will generally get a lower bill. I am not sure if they have already applied that to you, or if they are billing you as if you had UHC or some of the other top paying insurance companies.

[Oildog]

The bill will go down almost 50% if you dont go through insurance, happened to me.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Ask for an audit of the bill from the hospital, it costs nothing, and you get a detailed report of everything. Once you get it, you can start letting them know if you received a $30.00 Tylenol pill, or $15.00 bandaid. It will make you sick just how much the hospitals charge for items.

Even though we have good insurance, my wife, being an Accountant, asked for an audit when two of our children were born. There were many itmes my wife said she did not use, and the explanation she received (with a wink of an eye, and off the record) was that in the maternity ward, there were 12 women giving birth. Since it is chaotic, they did not know who received what, so they (hospital) took it upon themselves to distribute the cost among all the women. In other words, the hospital knows they used X devices, but did not know who used them, so they randomly put patients names. Then they knew they used X devices, and again, spread them out. If you got chared with A, you would not get charged with B, etc., you know, to make it 'fair'.

[desertsun41]

If much time goes by and you do not pay the bill then you will get a letter to fill out giving permission to be considered a charity case. This takes about 80% off the extortion......oops sorry I mean hospital bill. Yes I know charity case is a dirty word and might make you feel bad. But dont.

Or one better. Toss the bills in the garbage. When more and more hospitals start getting stiffed then they might decide to start supporting a national health care where basic treatment is available to everybody and in the end they will be paid for every single service rendered. Imagine that.

Hell we might even catch up to many 3rd world countries who have better health care then us. Americans are under the illusion that America has the best health care in the world. This is probably so because gullable people listen to and believe anything their crooked corrupt lying coniving govt tells them despite their govt never have spoken truth for the past 300 odd years. I don't suspect they will change that anytime soon.

The World Health Organization, a neutral group ranked the USA the 37th best out of 191 modernized nations. That to me is pretty dismal stuff. To me that is disgusting, especially when Americans like to call ourselves leaders of the free world. Hogwash!!!!!

Going to a Doctor here you are stuck with horrible service and horrible Doctors who are not allowed to treat you as their training taught them to. They take orders on how to treat you by doing what the minimum wage clerk at the insurance company says from her comfy chair 3000 miles away. Man that is an awesome way to treat sick people huh.

[BillsKills]

hi,
can you explain more of how my child's hospital bill becomes a charity case.

thanks,

[desertsun41]

Originally Posted by BillsKills

hi,
can you explain more of how my child's hospital bill becomes a charity case.

thanks,

Bill I don't know much more then what I answered you in PM. Every hospital should have charity cases. Your situation will be reviewed and hopefully be approved. If you make a great income you will not be approved.

Ever hear this saying?

If you are an American and have no health insurance, step right up to the sign that says morgue. If you are here illegally, step right up to the diamond studded wheel chair and a beautiful Nurse will take you to your ER suite in just a minute.

[elnina]

Or one better. Toss the bills in the garbage.

I don't think that is a good idea if you care about your credit report. Hospital and the ambulance company will file for a collection and that will be reported to credit companies.
I would get the bill audited, ask to lower the bill as a private pay and make some kind of payment arrangements with the hospital. When you pay minimum payment ( even $5) a month, thats it: "try to pay the bill" they cannot report you for collection.
After a while you can try to talk with the hospital and ask for "forgiveness" and many times they will write off your bill. But at least you will show your best intentions and save your credit from a damage.