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Old 09-05-2010, 11:34 AM
 
6,497 posts, read 11,772,775 times
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Had surgery in July, my part to pay is over $1500. I don't have it. Can't put it on credit card (no available credit). I return to work next week, will only be able to afford $50 a month to start.

How do I present this to the hospital? Any suggestions? I plan to make the call on Tuesday.

Thanks.
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Old 09-05-2010, 06:02 PM
 
18,626 posts, read 33,198,289 times
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I believe you should make the call and ask to whom you should send a written suggestion as to payment plans. Best wishes.
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Old 09-05-2010, 06:16 PM
 
Location: PA
563 posts, read 926,418 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steelstress View Post
Had surgery in July, my part to pay is over $1500. I don't have it. Can't put it on credit card (no available credit). I return to work next week, will only be able to afford $50 a month to start.

How do I present this to the hospital? Any suggestions? I plan to make the call on Tuesday.

Thanks.
Present the details of your financial situation to them as described. They are usually willing to set up payments and sometimes even reduce the amount, though that mainly depends upon the guidelines of the hospital. The organization (a publically-held national healthcare corp) I work for typically does this. As long as you are in contact with them, and not hiding, they will try to work with you.
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Old 09-05-2010, 07:28 PM
 
Location: Victoria TX
42,579 posts, read 86,610,587 times
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Many hospitals can or will refer you to a finance counselor who specializes in medical cases, and no fee is charged. They might review your finances and suggest that you apply for your state medicaid to pay part of it, or help you work out a payment plan with the hospital. The hospital wants to get paid, and it is in their interest to help you find a way to do it. If not, contact your medicaid office anyway. Under your circumstances, you might be eligible.
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Old 09-05-2010, 08:11 PM
 
9,408 posts, read 11,884,284 times
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We are having problems with a hopsital we owe several thousand dollars to. They are demanding payment in full. It isn't going to happen as we are now on one income due to my wife being out of work from the condition that caused all these medical bills. I've called them and they outright refuse to negotiate. Trying to escalate it has only gotten me the same answer: payment in full. I've never had this problem before. I've always been able to work out a payment plan. They keep saying it's because 'we are a doctor-owned hospital and that's just how it works.'

So..as long as I make payments despite their demands, am I ok?
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Old 09-05-2010, 08:41 PM
 
20,187 posts, read 23,753,027 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 11thHour View Post
We are having problems with a hopsital we owe several thousand dollars to. They are demanding payment in full. It isn't going to happen as we are now on one income due to my wife being out of work from the condition that caused all these medical bills. I've called them and they outright refuse to negotiate. Trying to escalate it has only gotten me the same answer: payment in full. I've never had this problem before. I've always been able to work out a payment plan. They keep saying it's because 'we are a doctor-owned hospital and that's just how it works.'

So..as long as I make payments despite their demands, am I ok?
I would ask for a total breakdown of the bill and which fee goes to which doctor... the hospital may not be able to negotiate with "contracted" doctors bills and it would be better to contact those doctors personally to negotiate payment, some may even waive their fees... the hospital can only negotiate the portion they have control over and that's probably what they really meant although they could of phrase it a lot better...
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Old 09-05-2010, 09:07 PM
 
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Well, I'll call and explain my situation and see what they say. Thanks.
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Old 09-05-2010, 09:21 PM
 
Location: PA
563 posts, read 926,418 times
Reputation: 230
Quote:
Originally Posted by 11thHour View Post
We are having problems with a hopsital we owe several thousand dollars to. They are demanding payment in full. It isn't going to happen as we are now on one income due to my wife being out of work from the condition that caused all these medical bills. I've called them and they outright refuse to negotiate. Trying to escalate it has only gotten me the same answer: payment in full. I've never had this problem before. I've always been able to work out a payment plan. They keep saying it's because 'we are a doctor-owned hospital and that's just how it works.'

So..as long as I make payments despite their demands, am I ok?
In your case, there exists the possibility that it will be turned over to a collections agency. Doctor-owned are the worse for receiving any kind of financial "mercy" from, and I think you will find the collections agency much easier to negotiate payments for the bill. Keep sending something each month, and save you proof that you have done so. If you do wind up in court (albeit extremely unlikely), you will be able to prove you have done your reasonable best. Good luck.
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Old 09-05-2010, 09:29 PM
 
Location: Ohio
24,624 posts, read 19,046,817 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steelstress View Post
Had surgery in July, my part to pay is over $1500. I don't have it. Can't put it on credit card (no available credit). I return to work next week, will only be able to afford $50 a month to start.

How do I present this to the hospital? Any suggestions? I plan to make the call on Tuesday.

Thanks.
You can thank your friends for insisting on "health insurance" and allowing the hospitals to form cartels and artificially set the prices far above what the market would bear.

Aside from that, my recommendation is that you contact a private social service organization. A few that come to mind are the Salvation Army, St Vincent DePaul, the United Way and others to see if a social worker can represent you and engage in negotiations on your behalf (which might actually result in the bill being lowered to $1200 even though the suffering of the hospital will be legendary as it's profit margin will only be 300%).

Otherwise you're screwed. They'll send it to collections immediately and your credit report will be trashed. Thanks to your good friends who all insisted on "health insurance" most hospitals (and doctors) have farmed out their billing departments to 3rd parties who get a percentage of the bill collected and they often aren't willing to negotiate and they make whiny incessant demands for the balance paid in full and even if they agree to a payment plan they'll slam your credit report.
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Old 09-05-2010, 09:31 PM
 
Location: PA
563 posts, read 926,418 times
Reputation: 230
Quote:
Originally Posted by steelstress View Post
Well, I'll call and explain my situation and see what they say. Thanks.
Good luck. Most front-line financial counselors are just regular folks. They get dumped on so much due to the nature of their job which often means when patients are actually seeking them out for help, they will try their best.

Without being too nosy, let us know if things work out!
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