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frank j question please?

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 1/25/2008 2:37 AM (GMT 0)
just have a question for ya....you said this in another thread...

""""plus, you can a) negotiate a lower price (hospitals would rather some money than no money) AND b) get set up on a payment plan.""""

is this a law? how do you know this? i ask because my hosp here will do neither. refused partial payments nor would lower the price.  pay it all now or your sent to collectors and its reported on the credit thing. oh, they saw her  and stabilized her. thats all. pumped her stomach. nurses did that. then she was discharged 2 hours later. no medicaid here (TX) for adults unless your pregnant, and she has no insurance.

i am so curious. when my daughter was in the ER,  the dr wrote orders, the nurses did them, and he never even saw her. (she od'ed on purpose). her bill is 8,000$. course none of us have that kinda money.

tyia** for replying:)

 

Posted 1/25/2008 1:17 PM (GMT 0)
Did you meet with Social Worker at the Hospital? My adult Sister also ended up in an ER and spent next day in the hospital (drug related also). No job, no money, no insurance, but ER still has to treat everyone whether they can pay or not. She was given papers from a Social Worker before she left the hospital to be filled out saying she had no job, no money, no insurance, no assets. She filled the paperwork out, sent it in and she never heard another peep from the hospital. I believe cases like hers get written off.

I believe that cost of treatment can be lowered and payment plans can be made with proof of low income and/or no insurance via the Hospital Social Worker. Hopefully, you, yourself did not sign any papers on your Daughter's behalf while in the ER, then that makes you totally or partially responsible for payment and then you would have to submit proof of your income as to how much you can pay or not pay.

Maybe things are different in TX or from hospital to hospital, but this is how I know it to be in Michigan.

Irks me that Drs charge for their service even though they really did not have direct contact with the patient, but nothing gets done or accomplished without their legal signature!
Posted 1/25/2008 6:16 PM (GMT 0)
i don't believe that it's the law, but it's the practical reality. if it goes to collections, they actually sell your account to the collections agency, and then the agency has the right to collect. they sell your account for far less than you owe, so they're better off as long as they get slightly more from you. the hospital should have a credit/debt counselor. they should be able to guide you through the process. if you're not getting answer, ask to speak with a supervisor.
Posted 1/25/2008 7:59 PM (GMT 0)
ty for the replies! yes, we had 2 social workers or financial advisors or whoever they were. she applied for indigent help, but one must be homeless to qualify for that. i have heard others say they have this company who "loans" money for the bill and then one pays it back to this company.

however, we/she since she is a adult-- were denied all of it. she continues to owe about 8,000$--those trauma rooms are high--and i dunno, because it was a Od, or what, no one will budge a inch for us.

i would think, bottom line, getting x amount a month is better than getting 0 but they dont think so.

sighs*. was hoping maybe it was law or something and we could make them accept payments.

no, i didnt sign anything. in fact, i never even was spoken to by anyone, dr or nurse. they talked to her only, and she was out of it from the drug she took. i was surprised they discharged her so fast, with it being a Od and all. shrugs*

my daughter did send in proof of income, SS number, proof of psych history, all that. they just said sorry, cant help ya.

mary, i hope your sister is better. boy, thats so hard to handle. im still trying!

appreciate the replies. :)

Posted 1/25/2008 9:17 PM (GMT 0)
send a letter asking for the same price that insurers are expected to pay.
Posted 1/26/2008 2:24 AM (GMT 0)
ok, ty:)
Posted 1/26/2008 3:31 AM (GMT 0)
WOW! I was always under the impression that monthly payment plan was an option for those without insurance because as you say getting some money a month is better than not getting any!

I dread to think what my Sister's bill was considering they kept her overnight and into the next day knowing full well she had no means of paying the bill including the EMS ride there. I was actually quite shocked they didn't cut her loose the same night, but then again they had to knock her out cold because she was so strung out/combative/obnoxious and wanted to keep her as long as they could to keep pumping fluids in her. Mind you it wasn't just drugs, she was full of Gin too because that smell coming out of her pores was making me horribly nauseous.

It has taken a good long while but my Sister is better. She did a bit of Rehab but did not finish the whole program. She is struggling and succeeding in baby steps of becoming a productive member of society.
I think the death of our Dad last year sort of scared her straight. She promised him right before he died that she would straighten her act out so that he could be proud of her. So far she has kept the promise.

Destructive behavior is really hard to handle and watch. I watched my Sister live a very undesirable life for almost 25 years. She had our Parents and myself on the edge of our seats for way too long! I will keep You (for strength) and your Daughter (for healing) in my prayers that her life can be turned around.
Posted 1/26/2008 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
((mary)) ty for being so kind. i would be under the common sense idea also, however, some of the world just doesnt think that way. why pay a collector to harass for money when we have not close to that sum at one time? ah, the questions i had. oh well. luckily, the law says they cant refuse to treat. i hate to think where we would be without that!

i will pray for your sister and  you also. you seem to understand what this feels like. i hope she finds help and peace. bless her and you for caring.

im glad they kept her--my daughter was out of there as soon as they could, i think. it was a nightmare. anyways.......this is extremely OT and i dont want the mods getting mad at me.

add that to my H with crohns and somedays life is a bit much to handle, ya know? :)

your words mean a lot...ty. money or not, if you might be in danger i would say head to the ER. lack of money is not worth dying over.

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