I spent 3 hours in the ER on the 15th. I just got my $11,000.00 bill in the mail.

Hello,

TO THE OP.

You should investigate FQHC's (Federally Qualified Health Centers) and RHC's (Rural Health Clinics)

Like others said you need to seek out medical programs that can help you with low cost/no cost preventitive care with the umbrella in case you do need the ER visit in the future.

I'm in California, but it looks like the larger one in AZ is: Adelante Healthcare.

www.adelantehealthcare.com...

They have medical and dental facilities, not sure how close to you though. The way FHQC's run in California is on a sliding fee schedule, depending on your income. There are many people with no income that qualify for programs that equate to free health care when financially unable to pay.

You should contact Adelante at least as a starting point, they should have program managers that can direct you to all the programs out there that you qualify for and can help get you signed up for them. They should also be able to help you find an FHQC that is as close as possible to you, maybe even with transport available. Even if it is with a different group. Just ask alot of questions.

Anyone that is unemployed or in financial hardship in ANY state should check out FHQC's in their area, they could help you out if you are currently without medical insurance.

Plus this will help you with preventative care, to keep you as healthy as possible and hopefully avoid ER visits.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
A clear indicator of a scheme being afoot is the ease with which an $11,000 gets dropped to $3,000.

What are the factors present in that drastic difference in cost?

Something tells me that even that $3,000 is still a substantial markup as with any good or service.

How many of us with insurance are blindly and dumbly paying the pre-corrected $11,000 amounts? Since nobody really shops around because medical consumers are one of two people, insured and complacent or uninsured and blind with rage, I'm willing to bet we're all paying outrageous prices for things that are essentially buffered from the real marketplace by virtue of insurance and politics.

So I want to know why it was so easy for a hospital to just write off $8,000.

 

Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

 

Very well said, if something looks like a scheme most likely it is, the fact that they would discount the bill to over 70% is highly suspect.

Hospitals have become and avenue to take advantage of people financially, when they are at their most vulnerable state.

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
Citizens in the UK agree to pay tax in return they receive services, one of these services is the NHS. It means that if ever something goes wrong with your health, you know health life/death? Then you will be able to see someone when you like.

This is something I've always found odd with regards to arguments against a US "NHS". The avaerage US citizen will pay alot in tax, but they balk at the idea of their Government providing them a service. I ask, who is dafter? He who pays a tax in return for a service, or he who pay's a tax and get's nothing in return?

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
If you end up in ER, you may suffer a wait in the waiting room, but you will be seen, treated and sent on your way.

I have been to A&E 3 times in the past 5 years and never once, even on a Friday night, had to wait more than 30 minutes before I am being seen and treatment has begun, and those visits were with minor injuries (one bottling, one where a mag-lock fell on my head and another where I fractured my wrist). I have never had any issue with the NHS. My brother was born with chronic renal failure and was sent to Guys and St Thomas in London. A WORLD LEADING centre for renal research and I can tell you now, the service he has had throughout his life (19 years so far) has been excellent. Had we had to pay for it, my dad would have been bankrupt inside of a year.

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
I know it must sound a horrible prospect for many Americans, you know the ones who think health care is one step from Communism.

Again, I don't understand this. They are happy to pay taxes hand over fist, in return for what if any kind of Government service is "communism".

The reason healthcare is so expensive is because that is how doctors and hospitals rip off insurance companies. They know that the majority of people have health insurance, so when you get health care, they charge you insane amounts of money so that your health insurance pays for it all. That is why health insurance is so expensive, because the doctors and hospitals are ripping off the insurance companies and the insurance companies are passing the cost to their customers.

Once they find out you don't have health insurance, they will sometimes do what they did to the OP and reduce the bill because they realize they can't rip you off like they can rip off an insurance company.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
A clear indicator of a scheme being afoot is the ease with which an $11,000 gets dropped to $3,000.

What are the factors present in that drastic difference in cost?

Something tells me that even that $3,000 is still a substantial markup as with any good or service.

I'll give you two examples of what is wrong with our medical system.

1.) Son cut his toe pretty bad, bad enough to go to the ER. They ended up using surgical glue to seal the cut. When we got the itemized bill, they was a $400 charge for a suture kit. At no time was there any suture kit even pulled out during his treatment. Our friend, who is a medical billing specialist, looked at the bill and saw that they classified his cut as a trauma case two levels above what it was.

ER's and probably hospitals in general, try to get away with juicing up their billing whenever they can. When we called about the suture kit and the trauma classification, the hospital didn't even argue, they just lowered the bill.

2. A friend of our had an MRI done, she was billed about $1,100 on her insurance. A few weeks later she had a friend from Poland stay with her who needed and MRI done while she was here. When she went to the hospital and explained that she didn't have any insurance over here, they said they could do the MRI for $585 if she paid cash. You tell me what is wrong with this?

The country I am from, there is no Insurance (exploitation control mechanism) and government Hospitals are free but the service is lousy. If you are rich you can go to Private Hospitals which is not expensive. But if you are poor, with little hassle you can get the treatment, a trade off that keeps private hospitals in competition. Competition is so fierce that a visit to Private Doctor costs only less than $ 3/00 but if you go to the government doctor, it doesn't cost you anything. Why I am telling you this is that there are forces in this country that keep robbing you day and night with the help of the Government that forces you in a direction that doesn't leave you any choice. Health Insurance is to protect the businesses, not you and me, and then they further exploit it so you pay more and more instead of creating competition. I remember around early eighties the government clamped on testing Foreign Doctors and reduced the number of Seats in Medical Colleges. You all know that shortage of commodity increase the price. This is what they did. Today they further tightened testing, tactical practice to control the number of doctors passing the exam. I recently found that Obama's much touted health reform is in fact a conspiracy against Americans. In the past if you were employed, you could get health coverage for the whole family with reasonable payment out of your pay cheque. Now the emphasis is one person coverage. Which means more money to dish out. What surprises me that the way they do it, nobody can figure it out unless you are involved with the bigger picture. I mad up my mind to leave the country. Although I am retired but the hand out I am getting they can have it. I can do better to be on my own in my country. And I am telling my American comrades to wise up, take the country back from crooks or leave the country for a place where you labor can be appreciated and you and your family can live peaceful life. You don't need exploitation by crooks.

I know the feeling.

I recently had a kidney stone and went to the local ER

I was there about an hour and a half.

They did an MRI and gave me a shot of morphine and sent me home with a strainer to pee in and a script for vicoden.

I got the bill and it was $6500 for the ER visit and an additonal $600 for whoever read the MRI.

I dont have insurance.

Originally posted by Chett
reply to post by MessOnTheFED!

 

hmm so health care should be free ...you want the doctors and nurses to work for free? How do they then pay thier bills and feed their families? Maybe they should also buy the medicine and give it to you? Get real. Nothing in life is free. If its free for you then you are simply stealing from someone else.

I guess you think its ok to charge someone $500,000 for a surgery? Or charde someone else hundreds of dollars for a few pills which cost a little of nothing to actually make? So lets see......

$500,000.... would be enough for at least 15 FAMILIES to live pretty damned decient lives. THATS FOR ONE PROCEDURE! Wake the eff up! How would the doctors and nurses feed their families you ask? HOW THE HELL CAN A DOCTOR LIVE WITH HIMSELF KNOWING HE CHARGES SUCH OUTLANDISH FEES FOR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE FREE?!?!

MOTF!

Originally posted by MessOnTheFED!
Health care should be free PERIOD.

NOTHING in life is free.
There is no such thing as a 'free lunch'.
Somewhere .. someone has to pay for it.

Health care is a COMMODITY .. just like anything else.
People go to school for MANY years .. work hard .. earn a trade.
They deserve to be paid for it.
People work hard and develop technologies that are used in medicine.
They deserve to be paid for their hard work.

The socialist/communist medical way of doing things is known for it's piss poor quality of health care. It may be 'free' (not really) to the person getting the care, but you get what you pay for. A socialist paid doctor isn't going to work as hard as someone who is in practice for him/her self and earning their own income.

reply to post by groingrinder




Three letters for you.



NHS

The title of this thread is false....

You said your bill is $11,000 then you get a $8,000 discount (don't know how you managed that). And your bill is $3,000 now.

AND YOUR STILL COMPLAINING.....

I think its great you got a discount as great as that. Better than paying the full amount.

You should know by now $50 is not something you can live on each month.

Is it hard for you to get a job at the moment? Have you tried going around and looking for a job? And if you find it really hard to find a job, Don't you get unemployment? I doubt you would only get as little as $50 a month from the government.

Our government would pay us max $200.00 a fortnight if we were unemployed.

reply to post by ElectricUniverse


It would be wise to learn a little about how nationalised health care works before passing judgment on what is bringing these countries you speak of to bankruptcy. A nationalised medical system is not free and is paid for through taxation. There was a member on this thread suggesting Socialism is the reason for global economic problems. I would contest capitalism is the culprit. However, the American medical system is killing people both financially and physically and every American deserves an equal right to health care irrespective of their income.

Remember, nationalised health care is paid for through taxes - it isn't free.

reply to post by stumason


I think there is a statistic to show that the US actually pays a greater percentage of it's GDP towards health care than the UK, which i could never really understand.

I was also under the care of St Thomas's for a few years. I know the place too well. I had both chemo and radiotherapy at Thomies, they also provided support groups and counseling. I have since moved back to Oxford and now at the Churchill, which is an amazing new hospital. I am so thankful when i walk around the building for the work the NHS does

reply to post by stumason


We think National Health Care is fine it's just every time they present a plan, it is corrupt and loaded with pork are areas that have nothing to do with Health Care.

The problem with the US stems from years of large corporations that paid for medical care costs, now that that has shifted we are left with that legacy and that is the difficult part of our transition.

Medical community still wants to be able to charge high rates, but you can't get blood from a stone.

I hope you get better and your bill goes way lower- I growl every time I see someone saying that the American health system is working and that we Canadians should emulate the American system...

That's grounds for treason I believe.

Originally posted by stumason

This is something I've always found odd with regards to arguments against a US "NHS"....

Originally posted by stumason

Again, I don't understand this. They are happy to pay taxes hand over fist, in return for what if any kind of Government service is "communism".

It makes perfect sense when you consider that the US populace gas been indoctrinated to accept the system as it currently exists. That means that the people who would most benefit from a universal or "coverage for all" system end up raving against this plan because it is "communism!!1!" or "socialist!!1!!". The reality would be vastly different, IMO, than what is being raved and argued over though. There would likely be growing pains to come out of a switch, but ultimately Americans would adjust and realize that all these fears that are being spread about socialism and communism are completely baseless.

I will restate my opinion here and just say that no one (or company) should profit or benefit from the health (or lack thereof) of a person or individual. That kind of attitude is disgusting.

This is your capitalism fellow citizens; profit above all else, including the well being of your fellow citizens!

reply to post by ElectricUniverse


Show me someone who actually NEEDS to make $300,000 a year to live a good life and I'll answer your other questions.

MOTF!

reply to post by FlyersFan


Oh, I am glad the authority on nationalised health care has spoken.

Cuba provides a health care system that can rival many Western countries. The WHO information is interesting.

WHO

Edit: Actually, care to back-up your statement about the quality of nationalised health care. In fact, there isn't an ounce of truth in what you have said.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
The socialist/communist medical way of doing things is known for it's piss poor quality of health care. It may be 'free' (not really) to the person getting the care, but you get what you pay for. A socialist paid doctor isn't going to work as hard as someone who is in practice for him/her self and earning their own income.

Af, Flyersfan, haven't seen you around for a while! And I see you're still spotuing the usual trollop too!

Piss poor quality? Oh really? Care to elaborate that?

Do you know how much NHS doctors are paid? I'll tell you. A GP (your family doctor - first point of contact) is usually paid in excess of £100,000 a year. Consultants and the more specialised are paid even more. They also work in the Pirvate sector too (as part of their NHS contract they can dedicate a certain amount of time to private patients). Why do you think we have doctors from ALL OVER THE WORLD coming here to work?

Basically, you've made an woefully innaccurate assumption based on nothing but your warped idea's about what "socialist" (such a misleading term only used by right-wing yanks) medicine is about. It isn't actually based on any facts though, is it? I'm sure though you will trot out a few random stories about "piss poor" healthcare from the UK to prove your point, but I can do that with the US system, so crack on...

reply to post by FlyersFan


I do realize that healthcare, in reality, can't and won't be totally FREE. But $11,000 for three hours in the ER? Can we agree that the price is a little steep? Why not salary cap doctors (and everyone else for that matter). Then the greed would subside and the reason they became doctors in the first place (to actually help people in need) would come into play?

MOTF!