And now the bills arrive....

[Marie in CA]

I'm starting to see the first of what the actual costs (before insurance) would be for my CK treatment. 

For some reason, Stanford keeps trying to bill my former employers insurance company, so I got a lovely denial letter to the tune of $86,000  YIPES  

Got that all straightened out, and now the correct insurer, who pre-approved, is getting the bills.  So far we are approaching $100K

[lori67]

An insurance faux-pas happened to me as well.  They screwed something up and I  just got a bill in the mail today for my BAHA implant surgery for $38,000.00 - asking to kindly remit the payment within 30 days.  Sure, let me just hit up my secret Swiss bank account for that...  Or maybe I can just dig it out of the cushions of my couch...

My AN surgery was close to the $100k mark too.  When i told my doctor I had to pay $1000 towards the catastophic co-pay he told me I got a bargain!  Easy for him to say, I suppose - when the $1000 had to come out of my pocket!  Ouch, that hurt.

I told my husband I might have to put a donation jar with my picture on it at the local convenience store to collect some spare change.  I look pretty pathetic with this droopy eye sometimes - I might be able to make a buck.

Lori

[yardtick]

So what happens if you do not have insurance coverage from your employer?  Do you mortgage your home?  If you haven't got a home do you sell your body on the street?  I guess you really can't save for retirement, you would have to deplete all of your assets.

Just curious here being from the Great White North!!

Anne Marie

[Brendalu]

It would be nice if the hospitals here in the US would give us the same discounts they give the insurance companies!  One proceedure was $7987.56 and the actual amount the insurance company paid was $1146.73! 
My total hospital, doctors, bandaids etc totaled $204,652.41.  Insurance company paid $16,456.89.  I paid $0 to the hospital and $1000. total to all three doctors.
I'm happy to be here.  My husband's employer pays 100% of our insurance and it is a small (under100 people) company.  We love the boss, the company and everyone who works there.
Brenda

[lori67]

Anne Marie - you buy the Reader's Digest "Do it yourself Brain Surgery Book" and do it yourself!

I don't know what you'd do without insurance.  I hate to even think about it.  If it wasn't so darn cold up there in the Great White North, I'd move there, but I'm more of a Great Green South kinda person.

It's great that we have insurance companies to pay these things, but half the time you have to fight tooth and nail to get them to do it - and then if they actually got it right the first time it would be a miracle!

Lori

[Pembo]

I met a woman online who's insurance company denied her claim for the AN AFTER her surgery. She had to declare medical bankruptcy. The $100K bill they wanted paid in 12 months was a little too much.

My out of pocket costs were closer to $3000. I shudder when I remember the bills...........

[lori67]

How generous of them to at least give her 12 months to pay that much money.  I suppose she could have hit the lottery in that time.

Of course I've been making a bunch of calls to the insurance company, hospital billing department and the doctor to get my mess straightened out.  Talk about passing the buck.  I finally told them I was going to remove the implant myself and sell it on E-bay to pay off the bill.

Lori

[dsuvb12]

I had a problem when the Dr. recommended that we do the BAHA surgery at the same time as the AN removal.  We were told by him that most like insurance would cover the surgery portion of the BAHA but that we would have to pay for the processor.  Two weeks before surgery I got a phone call saying they weren't going to pay for any part of the surgery which was a HUGE problem for me and my family.  I am a first year teacher and this was last summer so I hadn't started yet so therefore I was not on their insurance company and being a recent college grad I was dropped from my parents insurance so we had to do a cobra so there was a lot headache involved.  My parents had to literally put up the farm and get a loan because  the Dr was so adament about me getting the BAHA b/c of my age (23) and occupation (teacher/coach)  I haven't got the processor yet b/c they wanted to make sure I am completely healed so I am looking forward to receiving it but not paying for it!  Oh and I believe the total cost of my surgery plus my two scar revision surgerys, physical therapy and dr. visits we are at close to $200,000.

[Captain Deb]

I was recouping in Florida when the bills started coming in to my hubby in North Carolina, and being a good person, he paid them immediately. When I got home and could see straight, I began matching them up to my EOBs from Blue Cross Blu Sheild and what a mess! They had billed my whole surgery as out of network when it was in network, made a huge error with the internist bill, denied one of my sugical team members payment, etc. etc. etc. I spent 4 months collecting refunds from House (not their fault, but the insurance co) and,two doctors and BCBS itself. When those bills come in, make sure they are correct and get itemized EOBs from your insurance co and itemized bills from the hospital and make sure they match up! I had to do all of this with awful headaches, too. Not fun!

Capt Deb

[candtlaw]

ditto Deb......... I caught a 800.00 mistake. They make them often so stay on them as much as you can.......gl

[OMG16]

Oh my this brings up very bad memories.  We were lucky we were able to mortgage our house and pay for all of this.  So each month we get a reminder of what medical care costs.  Thank goodness it is only for the next 13 years.  Capt Deb has very good advice.

 I have worked for Drs for a very long time and now due to my experience with insurances I am able to do medical insurance billing from home for the most wonderful Dr I have ever met.  It pays better to.  If any of you need some help with this let me know and I will do my best to help you through this.  I couldn't imagine being the patient and having to take care of this also.  16

[Patch]

    I'm sorry he here about all the insurance problems. I can say I'm very lucky in working for the County and having good insurance. My total radiation treatment of 3 times a week for 2 weeks was $ 78110.25, Insurance picked it all up. Whats sad is there are many hard working people out there who can't afford insurance and there are people who live off the system ot illegals in this country that dont have to pay for any of it.

What is this country coming to.

[goinbatty]

I seriously dread seeing those come in the mail.  I have good insurance through my husband's company thank goodness.  But one never knows all the little petty issues that arise once they get the claims.  I could log onto the insurance site and find out but I decided to just wait til the multitude of envelopes arrive. 
Sandra

[Denisex2boys]

Wow .... unbelievable - - here in Canada we would never be presented a bill - we have a government health insurance plan and we pay nothing..... we would never even know the cost of a procedure.  All we have to do is show our OHIP card - and we're 'in' ......

[yardtick]

Here here sister!!  I'm so grateful for OHIP.  I realize it our health care system isn't perfect but the thoughts of large medical bills is enough to give one nightmares.  Where I live so close to Toronto, which is a very large city my family and I have access to some top notch health care.

I hope this next president will made some serious change to the American health care system.  One major surgery can financially ruin a family.  How does one manage if they do not have a high paying job with benefits?

Anne Marie