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

reply to post by Alethea


Actually it doesn't take a lawyer.. It's not fine print. at least at my hospital.. They have a form on the back of the papers that says it in plain english.. Gives a paragraph describing what it will be used for, and how to be excluded from their process.

It was a boring night so I had to read it last time I was there.

There is a reason that Hospitals, and medical centers are scattered across the Arizona landscape thicker than 7-11's. That reason is that they make money. And lots of it.

Groingrinder...endtimer is just that...an endtimer...a very dark place to be. The Apocalypse has been called off.

We work in the light and something somewhere has caused you to believe you are not a spark of the infinite light of the universe as all life is (child of God or whatever you believe). You deserve the best. Please avail yourself of everything, food stamps,welfare, SSI, disability, etc. Perhaps construct a website and blog, get some writing samples together and a PayPal account. People offer sums of money to ghost write blogs while they are on vacation or whatever.

Best of luck and trust yourself, you have made it this far and your father needs you, as do we all.

If they charge you THAT MUCH for 3 hours tlc, I would tell them to shove it up somewhere where the sun doesn't shine.

What a rip-off and a joke!

reply to post by Key-Minder


In your evaluations of Medical Professionals did you factor in the time and money they invested into becoming what they are? Becoming a doctor is neither easy nor cheap.

Just getting into Medical School is harder than most people would ever want to commit to.

Make sure that you pay up, thousands of illegals are depending on you!

This is why I never sign anything at the ER!

Want to hear something funny?

If you have insurance the hospital gives discounts on pricing!

They dragged me to the ER about a year ago. I had "fainted" at the dentist office, I told the dentist "I'd rather die then go to a hospital, do not call." Of course, they didn't want to be sued so they called 911 and shortly after a crew arrived.

I told them the same thing, I have no money and do not want to go to the hospital. They responded "You don't know this hospital!" Then they strapped me to a bed and wheeled me into the Ambulance.

Long story short, after sitting in the ER for about 3 hours. (They didn't know what to do with me cause I kept saying I would not pay for treatment. Loudly.) They sent in the "finiancial vultures". (sign here, initial here, etc.)

All I had to do was say "nope" "nope" "wont sign". After about 10 minutes of this my cousin and mother showed up to rescue me. I started to leave when the security people came, "You are STEALING! You took treatment and did not sign your bill!!!"

I laughed, and walked out.

Of course they tried to get their money. All I said is that I never agreed to be treated, and since debts need to be valid...Well let's just say my wallet is as thick as it was when I went into the ER. Minus 400 for my root canal, of course.

My sympathies are with you OP. The medical industry is the only profession that is booming in this depression. The medical industry is the only profession that legally makes dough off of keeping people ill. The medical industry is worse than any "them" or NWO. Because we know they are real, we can see their dirty work daily.

(This inculdes ALL doctors, if they recieve a paycheck from this monster. This means they condone the behavior, no excuse.)

1. NEVER SIGN ANYTHING AT A HOSPITAL
2. MAKE THEM PROOVE THE DEBT IS VALID
(A zerox of your bill is not proof of a valid debt. They have to show where you wanted the service (or product), they have to show where you entered into a contract with them. No contract, no valid.)
3. NO DEBTORS PRISON *yet
(So F*!& em.)

Originally posted by endtimer

Oh, so I don't care about anyone and don't give a rats ass?......

Are you a banker by any chance?

You appear to have their sociopathic tendencies.

How the hell do they justify that kind of medical bill ? Extortion is more like it... Over here could have got the same things done for about 25.00 u.s at the current exchange rates.. Thats insane what they charge you there..
Hope that you get to feeling better..

reply to post by Expat888


Thanks. I feel better already. I really appreciate all the encouragement from kind people here. I am only 56 so I am too young for social security. I will not apply for welfare. I only want what help is available to pay my medical bills. I am not trying to scam the system or get anything for free, although I do feel the system needs a major over haul. I have nothing against doctors becoming millionaires, I just wish they could take a little longer doing it.

ENOUGH

No more attacks on other members. The topic is the cost of medical treatment not other members, any further attacks will be subject to action.

Thank you,

gallopinghordes
ATS member and mod

Click here for more information.

Reply to post by Key-Minder

Medical school costs a lot. A LOT. For both doctors and registered nurses. It takes tens of thousands, sometimes over the hundreds of thousands, of dollars in loans. Those take quite awhile to pay off. There is the biggest part of the problem, for any profession.

Also, medical professionals get sued a lot. Usually when they haven't done anything wrong. Another fault of society and not the medical world.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

I hear where this op is coming from. I am a single mother who makes 9.5 an hour. I apparently make to much money for help from the system such as medicaid and food stamps, now lets see. my bills are about 1700 to 1800 a month and I bring home 1500 a month.... So Im always 300 in the hole and have to pick and choose what bills get paid for one month and pay some other bills the next month just so that I have money to buy food.... But because I am a two people family the poverty level is 12,500 and I make 13,500 so because I make a lousy 150 a month more then the poverty level I cant get medicaid for my child or foodstamps... I took my daughter to the ER 2 months ago for a fever and she also had bronchotis, I was there all of 45 minutes and only saw the doctor for literally a minute and a half... The doctor bill is 600!!!! The hospital bill is 600!! Why the hell is it sooooo damn expensive when I WASNT EVEN THERE AN HOUR!! AND I ONLY SAW THE DOCTOR FOR LESS THEN 2 MINUTES?! Thats RIDICULOUS!! The healthcare system is soooooo far out of touch! It really is!!I had to go to the ER because I didnt have the 95$ for an office visit at her peditricians that they want upfront if you dont have insurance, I only had 25 dollars on me for gas to get me back and fourth to work for the week and I had to spend 15 of it on her medicines and call out for 3 days while my 2 year old daughter got healthy enough to return to daycare!! so I lost out of almost 275 $ that week staying home to take care of my kid! The healthcare system is sooooooo greedy!! I cant stand it!

This goes to prove that you need to shop around for good deals on medical treatment when you get sick or injured.

Seriously folks a heart transplant operation in India will only cost you $25K (And that includes 1st class airfare and accommodations) while in the USA it could set you back $750K. Before you say no way. India has some of the best medical facilities in the world and thier doctors are trained in American universities.

Other ways to beat the system.

Take your own medical supplies to the emergency room with you and always ask your provider if they accept cash and if they don't who can the refer that will?

Cross the border into Canada and Mexico and bring back your own drugs.

Start accepting medical advice over the internet.

And remember that even if you pay insurance you'll pay in thousands just to find that the insurance companies won't pay for 1/2 of the charges and will still make you pay a deductible before paying anything out.

Health insurance in America is a joke.

I once shopped the medical black market for x-rays and treatment for my daughters broken wrist. We saved thousands that an insurance company would have applied to a deductible that they wouldn't have payed anyways.

Of course, you could also stop eating junk food, get off the damn couch and workout and stop working 80 hours a week in stupid jobs to pay for endless morgages and increasing taxes and start smoking pot.

Good point! I will keep that in mind next time! I also like the guys idea about seeing the charges before you sign!

There are several reasons that medical costs have gotten so out of hand. Two of the primary groups responsible for the exorbitant costs are insurance companies and those that ARE getting free medical care.
Insurance companies do very little to control costs. Even HMOs, that were originally instituted to control costs, have given in to the philosophy that they'll just keep on passing increasing costs to the policy holder.This feeds the vicious cycle- medical providers charge what they feel they can get away with, insurance companies then pass on the increased costs to the patient, in the form of increased premiums, and co-pays, and the cycle repeats.
Likewise, indigent patients are required to be treated at most hospitals, and those costs are then passed on to those that can pay, again, repeating that cycle.
Those that have mentioned Obamacare as a solution do not understand that the bill passed by Congress was developed WITH the help and approval of the insurance companies, assuring that they will continue to be a part of this vicious spiral of increasing costs. Obamacare will NOT decrease costs, but instead, will increase those costs, regardless of what the lamebrain CBO says.
National Health Care, PROPERLY constructed, could work, but the half-baked monstrosity that Congress enacted will make matters worse.

Originally posted by groingrinder
reply to post by Expat888

 

Thanks. I feel better already. I really appreciate all the encouragement from kind people here. I am only 56 so I am too young for social security. I will not apply for welfare. I only want what help is available to pay my medical bills. I am not trying to scam the system or get anything for free, although I do feel the system needs a major over haul. I have nothing against doctors becoming millionaires, I just wish they could take a little longer doing it.

edit on 12-28-2010 by groingrinder because: Edited to provide extra entertainment.

This comment rings with truth. (Except for your username -- I thought you were a teenage boy, lol!)

I agree with your comments, but I don't think it's necessarily the doctors.

I believe it's the hospitals, even the so-called "non-profit" ones. Our local hospital is supposed to be "non-profit", and it still gets one-cent of our exorbitant 8% sales tax. Yet, they are buying up hospitals all over the state. If they are non-profit, where is the money coming from to purchase all these expensive hospitals? Hm?

It's a vicious circle. The hospitals are taking Medicaid and Medicare, as well as the insurance companies to the cleaners, and in retaliation, they increase prices while simultaneously reducing coverage. You get less for more.
The greed is without end.

reply to post by groingrinder


No...no glib remarks about the Canadian system...just sorry you had to go through the grief in the first place, and that you're stuck with that bill. Americans deserve better.

All Ive got to say is........... WHERES OUR BAILOUT?! Big corporations get bailouts and huge bonuses from out TAX PAYING DOLLARS AND WHEN GET NOTHING?! NOTHING?!?!!?! It makes me so sad!! Yea lets keep financially beating the Sh*t out of the poor, once the poor is absolutely completely homeless, jobless, and poor then how will this country make the money to stand on?? DAMN SURE NOT FROM THE RICH!