Methodist Hospitals.. A ripoff! (Center: price, legally, homeless)

[marykate1]

Welcome to America!! The only country where you can go broke due to medical bills hahahahah

[colcat]

Originally Posted by 14Bricks

I think you mean illegals.

Well, you can "think" what you want. You know what they say about assumptions.

[mtgmike]

Its all an accounting game. These numbers mean nothing, but both political sides use them as ammo in a false argument.

Example...

I have a high deductible insurance plan, no HSA. Its just the best my job can do. I go to have a MRI done on my head, with and w/o contrast. Clinic says you can pay $650 cash, or you pay $750, and it goes through insurance. I think it over, and figure Ill take the discount, pay $650. Couple days later, my Dr orders a bunch more tests. I call the clinic and say I need to pay another $100 and have that count towards my deductible. I go by and pay the $100.

The statement from the clinic to my insurance shows they were billed almost $3k. This is a service they were willing to sell at a profit for $650 cash. With insurance, they overbill to the extreme, fight for every dime, and show a write off for uncollected revenue. All the extreme numbers that get tossed around for healthcare comes down to a good old fashioned tax scheme.

So when any politician screams about poor little Mildred getting a $3000 bill, thats probably a service the hospital actually sells for $650(profitably, btw), and will never collect anywhere near $3k for. Im all for doing away with health insurance. Let me pay cash, finance cancer, etc bills, and let the truly poor go to govt run hospitals.

[14Bricks]

Originally Posted by colcat

Well, you can "think" what you want. You know what they say about assumptions.

Its not a assumption, its a fact.

Study: Illegal immigrants cost Texas, hospitals $677 million - Houston Chronicle

Still no solution for illegal immigrants' long-term care costs - Houston Chronicle

Illegal immigrant's ouster at Galveston hospital raises questions - Houston Chronicle

[tstone]

Originally Posted by OducksFTW!

My father was admitted to the [Mod cut: consumer complaints not allowed per TOS] hospital for mild chest pains and shortness of breath, they wanted to see if he had a heart attack.

He didn't and it was just an anxiety attack, he was in the hospital for no more than 18 hours.

Guess how much the bill came out to for his stay and a couple tests...

$18,500!!!!

Fortunately we had insurance and it covered most of it but we still have to pay around $6000 out of pocket.

I also had appendicitis surgery and the bill came out to around $50,000!

I only have to pay around $7000 but that is just ridiculous!

I dont know about you guys but I believe that this is just a huge ripoff.

Are there any cheaper alternatives? St. Luke's possibly?

A new insurance plan would help, sounds like yours completely sucks.

[mtgmike]

14B, I agree, but even in that first article is a mention of the accounting game:

But county hospital district officials disputed the report's numbers, noting that they were calculated on the basis of charges instead of costs. They said charges are inflated,

[colcat]

Originally Posted by 14Bricks

Its not a assumption, its a fact.

Study: Illegal immigrants cost Texas, hospitals $677 million - Houston Chronicle

Still no solution for illegal immigrants' long-term care costs - Houston Chronicle

Illegal immigrant's ouster at Galveston hospital raises questions - Houston Chronicle

Please tell me how you know what I'm thinking. Are you a mind reader?

[14Bricks]

Originally Posted by colcat

Please tell me how you know what I'm thinking. Are you a mind reader?

I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say.

[OducksFTW!]

Anyone got ideas on how I can pay less? it has been about 3 months since my operation..

I heard if you ask for a payment plan they make you pay the full amount and if you want a lower bill you have to pay it all at once.

[mtgmike]

Originally Posted by tstone

A new insurance plan would help, sounds like yours completely sucks.

Originally Posted by OducksFTW!

Anyone got ideas on how I can pay less? it has been about 3 months since my operation..

I heard if you ask for a payment plan they make you pay the full amount and if you want a lower bill you have to pay it all at once.

I would treat it like any other financial negotiation.

Plead poverty, and dont be afraid to say you cannot afford to pay anything at all in order to stall. Id do that, wait until right before they send to collections then say you may have access to some cash, offer about half in cash right now, or forget it, they get nothing.

Its a fight. They are in your pocket taking away money from you and your children. They probably covered 100% of their costs from what your insurance paid, you are all profit to them. See my above post about "costs".