randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
man, i can't believe this.
you know i went to the er in january and am now getting the bills. the first hospital bill was for 8 grand!! yes, 8 grand....
so now i've got another one and my copay is for 1100, for the doctor 360, tests 280, 36 and 14....
man, i'm going to have to make payments. i can't come up with 1100 all at once.
i called my sister and she said 8 grand for just ct scan and x-rays, even tho i spent 8 hours there, is totally outrageous...she said to ask for an itemized bill.
so i got all these bills plus the flue. i'm positive i got it in the er...
dang...
no more er visits, unless i'm bleeding out. i'd just rather stick my feet up and croak right now...
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
Ouch!!! That is a huge bill! Hopefully the hospital will work with you on making smaller payments.
Good reminder for us to stay away from the ER unless we are in a truly life threatening situation.
How've you been feeling lately randibear? Is that nasty cold gone yet?
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
i am still coughing like crazy and suffering from shortness of breath, especially when i lay down.
my nose gets all stopped up and i can't breath. talked to my sister and she said this flue this year is lasting 5-6 weeks.
rats....just wish i'd loose weight on it...
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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tdtid
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10276
posted
Randibear,
I'm so sorry you had to go through this. It's bad enough that you didn't leave the ER healthy, but then to have salt poured in the wounds with the huge ER bills....yeah....it stings.
I know I've told my family to not take me to anymore ER's unless they think I'm dying. I spent five years in and out of ER's before knowing this was lyme and it just isn't a place for a lyme patient other than a last ditch effort.
Yes, I too would ask for an itemized bill. You mentioned you were there for 8 hours but if it's like most ER's, most of that time is just waiting.
Sorry you had to go through this, Randibear. Ugh.
Cathy
-------------------- "To Dream The Impossible Dream" Man of La Mancha Posts: 2638 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2006
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Ocean
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3496
posted
Hi Randi,
Ugh!!! So sorry. You may qualify for a reduced rate depending on income.
We had an HMO 3 years ago and I was pregnant with our 3rd child (resulting in my 3rd relapse with Lyme, but didn't know I had Lyme yet). I thought I had a bladder infection. I went to the ER. The took my vitals and had me pee in a container.
Then they sent me home.
The bill??
$950!!!
Thank goodness we only had to pay $50, but $950, to pee in a container????
The medical costs are ridiculous, unfortunately, I know someone who thinks it costs too much to get insurance and his company offers it (I think they have to pay $400/month for a family (but they have cells phones, high speed internet, cable TV, ect), so they just go to the ER for everything and since they qualify, it's all 'free'.
Unfortunately it's not 'free' because it drives up OUR costs to go!
Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
Many hospitals do payment plans.
As long as you are sending something, I don't believe
They can turn you over to a collection agency.
I hope you feel better.
Call them tomorrow.
Ask for an itemized bill.
Tell them you have to have a payment plan.
I hate this at so many levels.
Especially when others who have no insurance get "free" treatment.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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glm1111
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 16556
posted
Randibear,
You could have gone to the 4 seasons, had all your meals included, all kinds of spa treatments etc and it wouldn't have cost you any where near that.
You probably would have gotten some rest and felt better. These hospitals rob us blind!!
A large teaching hospital here is so wealthy that they own a huge square city block, plus Wills Eye Hospital and several other hospitals and only Gd knows what else.
These are way beyond reasonable charges and I definitely would look into it. It's outrageous. Sorry you have to deal with all this.
Gael
-------------------- PARASITES/WORMS ARE NOW RECOGNIZED AS THE NUMBER 1 CO-INFECTION IN LYME DISEASE BY ILADS* Posts: 6418 | From philadelphia pa | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
Yikes, I'm so sorry you have to deal with this on top of everything else. Maybe the hospital can work with you to only pay a certain $$/month??
My daughter had a 48 hour EEG in a Manhattan Hospital, she was hospitalized for 3 days total...The bill was $43,000-- NO KIDDING! I am so glad insurance picked up the tab, I could never pay that back.
Posts: 371 | From CT | Registered: Jun 2008
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