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Wow, whining huh? Well, considering I got the bill last night, and the support line is only open during weekdays, I thought coming on city-data to vent and maybe hear similar experiences would be reasonable. Perhaps, get a few people that have been in my shoes to give me some advice how to approach the provider on Monday.
As for the family doctor, the incident happened at work, and I was experiencing dizziness from the bite. My doctor is more than a hour away. Why am I explaining myself to you? More for my own satisfaction, because by I can tell by your name, you probably see yourself as some know it all. But,maybe sometimes you should think first. Because you really come off as rude and condescending, and ironically you come across as the ignorant one. No excuse for that.
If it happened at work you should have called the HR department for a referral to their required occupational medical facility and it would have cost you zero.
If it happened at work you should have called the HR department for a referral to their required occupational medical facility and it would have cost you zero.
Nothing like calling HR in the middle of a medical emergency.
Nothing like calling HR in the middle of a medical emergency.
A spider bite??? That is a medical emergency?
Back in the 1950's my dad punched three and a half fingers off in a punch press. He stuck what was left into his gut, clocked up and drove himself to the hospital. He was too embarrassed to tell anyone.
And the funny thing is, once upon a time it wasn't like this.
You paid doctor costs out of pocket, prescriptions out of pocket and insurance was only used for hospital visits and it was 80/20 until you met your deductible.
Fast forward to today..the insurance industry has taken over healthcare and you cannot do anything now without having insurance. IMHO it's a corrupt racket. A hospital bill of $3K gets reduced to $600 because your insurance company "negotiated" with the hospital ? But if you don't have insurance you're stuck with the $3K ?
What we're really buying here is protection against price gauging.
Yes, great post! Just when and how did it all come to this?! And why does there have to be a middle man. Most of my adult life, I've been uninsured, and I can't tell you the number of times that the receptionists at most dr. offices treated me like a 2nd class citizen because of it!
Back in the 1950's my dad punched three and a half fingers off in a punch press. He stuck what was left into his gut, clocked up and drove himself to the hospital. He was too embarrassed to tell anyone.
Good thing city-data wasn't around in the 50's, they might've told him to call HR first.
I don't know if Obamacare is going to make things better or worse, but I have a small rant about how ridiculous healthcare in this country is. In October 2010, I got bit by something(spider?) at work. I was feeling dizzy and went to whatever was nearest. Unfortunately, that was a Kaiser nearby. They did some motor skill tests that consisted of me doing things like raising my hands lol. Then they gave me a Benadryll. After Insurance covered some, I was left with a 550.00 bill. I was upset, but hey, it's the ER, what do I expect. So, I take my lump, pay it off. A year later, today, I get a bill for a balance of 150.00 for the same thing. What's wrong with healthcare in this country? It's sad that you have to think about financial ruin when you should be worried about what is ailing you. Luckily, this is more of a major annoyance than financial ruin. But unfortunately, it makes people think twice before getting care. That's the sad part.
Yup. People avoid care and then the problems grow and what could have been prevented becomes an expensive surgery.
If you jump thru all the hoops of the insurance company, usually they will eventually give in and pay. But it is so time-consuming, plus the hospital/doctor will often send you to collections, so most people don't jump through the hoops and end up paying for what insurance should have covered.
I worked for a health insurance company for a year. Worst year of my life, seeing what they would put people through. But I'm an expert at dealing with health insurance companies now.
And the funny thing is, once upon a time it wasn't like this.
You paid doctor costs out of pocket, prescriptions out of pocket and insurance was only used for hospital visits and it was 80/20 until you met your deductible.
Fast forward to today..the insurance industry has taken over healthcare and you cannot do anything now without having insurance. IMHO it's a corrupt racket. A hospital bill of $3K gets reduced to $600 because your insurance company "negotiated" with the hospital ? But if you don't have insurance you're stuck with the $3K ?
What we're really buying here is protection against price gauging.
They have to gouge because there are so many patients for whom they don't get any reimbursement. And medicaid/medicare reimbursements are so low.
That's why I face palm when people say universal health care is just subsidizing those who don't work/can't afford their own/etc. You're paying for them anyway thru higher prices. Wouldn't it be nice to cut out the middle man (i.e. the insurance company) since you're paying for other people's health care no matter what?
They have to gouge because there are so many patients for whom they don't get any reimbursement. And medicaid/medicare reimbursements are so low.
That's why I face palm when people say universal health care is just subsidizing those who don't work/can't afford their own/etc. You're paying for them anyway thru higher prices. Wouldn't it be nice to cut out the middle man (i.e. the insurance company) since you're paying for other people's health care no matter what?
Gee, you think a single payer standardized billing system would help lower costs any? Lower costs at all levels?
Are you saying getting uninsured patients out of ER waiting rooms and into properly compensated medical offices would lower costs? All that would deliver BETTER care at a lower cost? Why are people against these things? Insurance company propaganda campaign maybe?
Good thing city-data wasn't around in the 50's, they might've told him to call HR first.
You're comparing an industrial accident with a spider bite?
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