When I was in CA in April, Owen woke up and was breathing really labored and raspy. I was worried that he might be getting bronchiolitis again, and I didn't have my medication with me. I thought that I should take him in, just to be safe. My sister suggesting taking him to her doctor's office where they have "emergency hours" for walk-ins. I brought him there and they said they couldn't see him for their emergency hours, as that was only for current patients. Furthermore, they didn't have any openings for new patients. So my mom tried her doctor to see if he would be willing to get Owen in. They also said no and told her to take him to the insta care. That was our only option at that point, and I really just wanted to get him seen.
So we took him in and saw a doctor there. She checked his oxygen level, listened to him breathe, and that was it. She said she thought he could have bronchiolitis...or croup. She didn't make a specific diagnosis. She wrote a script for the inhaler I had used before. And we were out of there in about 20 minutes.
A month later I got a bill in the mail for $250. It was the rate given through our insurance for using a preferred provider (rather than the nearly $400 they were billing). So I begrudgingly paid it, thinking how ridiculous it is that they charged $400 for 20 minutes of care, that honestly wasn't even that great.
This week I got another bill in the mail for $313. I was annoyed, thinking, "I've already paid this...why are they billing me again?" (Not to mention I called them last time I got a bill after I'd paid, to make sure my payment went through...which it did. So I called them just now and spoke with someone who said that she's still waiting on our insurance because the insurance told them to run the claim again. I told her I was confused as I'd already gotten a bill with a discounted rate through our insurance and paid it. She said, "Typically when you go to an insta care you get two bills. One from the facility and one from the doctor." I said, "So you're telling me this is a separate bill?" She said, "Yes."
Great. Awesome. Fantastic. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! So now I'm getting a bill charging $229 for the doctor's poor services and $84 so they could stick a clamp on his toe to check his blood oxygen levels. SERIOUSLY?! And all for only 20 minutes of time. I am fuming. I just cannot believe how much they are willing to suck you dry for medical attention. I just can't even imagine if we didn't have any form of insurance, or if we had chronic medical problems, or some serious injury, or hospitalization that we had to pay for out of pocket. It's completely asinine.
Ok. I'm done ranting. I'm not sure it really helped me. I mean, let's be honest...I've still got to pay the damn bill.
8 comments:
I agree it's disgusting. I won't even tell you how much Mark's ER bill was when he had pnemonia. I thought I was going to vommit when I saw it.
I don't know if this will alleviate your frustration or add to it - but we're being charged $1600 (that we are expected to pay the full amount of) for a cut Malia got on her eye when I took her to the ER. All they did was put steri-strips on it. $1600!!! And the doctor who saw her is charging a separate $300. No stitches. Not even the glue. Just a freakin' band-aid.
I'm considering changing my citizenship to illegal alien to I can benefit from American Health Care....
AAAAAHHHHH!!!! That IS asinine!!!! I hate medical costs! They're ridiculous! One time Tim had a little bump on his hand, so he went to an orthopedic surgeon. The surgeon looked at it, sent him to get an MRI, and then said it's a ganglion and it can be removed, or not. So, he opted not to remove it, and it got better. And then we got billed $450 for the MRI, and another amount (I can't remember how much) for the doctor! AHHH! And nothing even happened!!
Tiff, I think your illegal alien status sounds appealing. Furthermore, you will probably avoid most taxes and FICA among other perks. However, do not change the actual citizenship status..... that is still of highest reverence. :)
Interestingly, the facility that Owen went to is "non profit." I'd hate to think what they'd charge if it were "for-profit!!!" When I conference called with Kendra to try to get some reprieve, I told the woman, "So, mothers are put in the awful situation of feeling like an incompetent mother when she must weigh 'is this worth $600 or not?'"
I have a feeling if there were not so many leaching the system others who "can" pay would not have to be paying so much because there would not be so many losses. So much for the changing of status.
Maybe we just need to have a bartering system. Kendra, you could have exchanged the Dr's services for the privilege of enjoyig Owen's adorable (albeit sick) smile and the privilege of holding and monitoring the oxygen of said priceless child. You could have done some counseling for the clinic, and I could have hemmed the Dr's wedding dress. HOW'S that? Nahhhh I would rather have entered data into the her computer and sent out the billing statements.
OHMYGOSH... this could really get complicated. On second thought.. I think under the circumstances, Kendra, you really need to send that Dr. a statement for the privilege of attending to Owen and enjoying his cuteness. I'm sure you would be compassionate and allow an adjustment to the fees, especially if she (the Dr.) is having a difficult time coming up with the payment.
And don't count on a federal health insurance being cheaper... you'll pay in the end not only with $$ but frustrations of waiting lines and choices of dr's, because such system will encourage "incompetent" citizens and aliens who will not even think twice about whether they should "go to he Dr." for the slightest hangnail or runny nose ~ because it's "free!!"
We have really suffered this year with medical bills too. It is so infuriating!!! I am so sorry.
That is super annoying and makes me super nervous. I had the same experience in Seattle, but that was in May and still haven't gotten the bill!
That is so awful. I have had to go to the ER twice and it was such a pain to pay the huge co-pay, wait around all night and then to be written a simple prescription and sent home. I mean, come on!
Wow. We are now self-insured. This post will seriously make me think twice about going to the doctor. I had NO idea medical care was that expensive because we had awesome insurance when Nathan worked for a public school. Now that he's an independent contractor though, I'm sure it's just a matter of time before we have our own lovely experience like yours.
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