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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Arthritis / January 2006I'm all better
Well, not *all* better. But, some better. I saw my orthopod today, and he has finally discharged me as a patient for my broken ankle. I feel like I have just graduated high school, or somethin'. I also told him about my insurance woes regarding my $11,000 ankle MRI. He was flabbergasted, immediately called the Brookhaven Hospital billing department to find out what the freakin' hell they are trying to pull, and assist me in fixing this miserable problem. For those who don't know, he ordered an MRI and suggested I get it done at Brookhaven Hospital, because of the computer link he has with them. He also DID mention that of course, I could go anywhere I wanted to go. I chose to go to Brookhaven as a courtesy to him. However, those f.ckers billed my insurance for $11,000.00. My dumbass insurance company found the charge to be somewhat excessive, so they paid out their maximum allowance of $8,880.00, leaving me with a 10%, or $888.00 co-pay. Screw them. They are not getting another dime from me. Again, my doc was stunned. He's going to help me appeal this to the insurance company, Empire BCBS, as he knows it makes him also look really bad. Fact is, he is NOT bad. He's a good guy, and also feels totally duped. So, to recap, my ankle is better. I'm still in PT, but only for a few more visits, and I am discharged. My anger rate is through the roof over my insurance woes. All in all, life remains quite good.  SignatureDi zinkadoodle at gmail dot com www.pbase.com/di www.dustydoggie.blogspot.com di, i'm so glad your ankle is better. the insurance thing sucks, tho. kinda scary. diane Di, my hope for you for the New Year is to get the hospital straightened out on what is a reasonable charge for an MRI. Glad you have a doctor willing to go to bat for you. Gwen > Well, not *all* better. But, some better. I saw my orthopod today, and > he has finally discharged me as a patient for my broken ankle. I feel [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > All in all, life remains quite good. Congratulations on your graduation! May your ankle stay away from the doctor for some time to come! Methinks the hospital typed an extra zero in the amount for the MRI, but your insurance should have questioned the charge, not paid out that excessive amount! Heck, my cervical MRI 18 months ago was only $700, though it was in a smaller, less expensive market. Nann Reminds me of the time the hospital billed for a platinum plate in my knee for $1800 after an arthroscopy. I know he didn't put a plate in my knee! I found this out, because the hospitals here have a bad habit of sending me a plain bill for xxx. No description of what Medicare or Tricare paid, or the treatment. So, I called and told them that I do not pay "generic" bills. So, they sent me an itemized one and that's where I found the plate. Expensive knee, I'm thinking. Speaking of spending money - I'd better get going on my Quicken for the past week or so since before I went to MA. Happy New Year to all Loujean >Congratulations on your graduation! May your ankle stay away from the >doctor for some time to come! [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >Nann > Congratulations on your graduation! May your ankle stay away from the > doctor for some time to come! Thanks. If I break another bone, just shoot me. > Methinks the hospital typed an extra zero in the amount for the MRI, > but your insurance should have questioned the charge, not paid out that > excessive amount! Heck, my cervical MRI 18 months ago was only $700, > though it was in a smaller, less expensive market. That's what I would have thought. But, the insurance company did question it, paid their high end allowance of $8,880, and stuck me with the 10% co-pay. When the hospital was asked again if this was correct, they stood by the number. No extra zeros or decimal places or anything. Bastards. They are not getting another dime from me. They can pound sand for all I care. You cannot bleed a stone, after all. And, I'm flat broke right now. SignatureDi zinkadoodle at gmail dot com www.pbase.com/di www.dustydoggie.blogspot.com Glad your doing some better Di. I wouldn't give them another dime either. Hospitals are really bad about getting every penny they can out of anyone. Especially if you have decent insurance. Been down that road once or twice. It never failed that the hospital would overcharge or the insurance company would not pay the total bill and I would get stuck with it. Needless to say they never got another dime from me. Stick to your guns. You don't have to put up with this. Unfortunately, some people will just pay it and not even fight them over any extra charges. Amazing the tricks these hospitals will use against someone to get more money. ~Kenny >Well, not *all* better. But, some better. I saw my orthopod today, and >he has finally discharged me as a patient for my broken ankle. I feel [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > >All in all, life remains quite good. Di, sure hope that ankle does good and heals quickly. Hope you get those MRI bills straigthened out. We are all thinking of you. SignatureHugs, prayers, good thoughts, Warm fuzzies, TLC, and Love Squirrely Jo > Well, not *all* better. But, some better. I saw my orthopod today, and > he has finally discharged me as a patient for my broken ankle. I feel [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > All in all, life remains quite good. Good for you. Now try to stop breaking things, would ya? Hugs, DeeTee > Well, not *all* better. But, some better. I saw my orthopod today, and > he has finally discharged me as a patient for my broken ankle. I feel [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > All in all, life remains quite good. <snip> > However, those f.ckers billed my insurance for $11,000.00. My dumbass > insurance company found the charge to be somewhat excessive, so they [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > really bad. Fact is, he is NOT bad. He's a good guy, and also feels > totally duped. Di, sounds like an absolutely amazing cost to someone such as myself. I had a serious inflamation at the base of my spine, and had an MRI done - quite an extensive one by the look of it, some 200 images. The job was done on a very new machine (but the centre had 3 or 4 different MRI's, and some other scanning machines as well). Service was excellent. I had no insurance cover for this particular procedure, so I was quite happy that it only cost $US350. Of course this was done in Thailand, at one of the leading imaging clinics there (I was living and working in Thailand at the time). The radiologist had a degree from some US university (forget which one). You should have had the scan done there, and had a holiday at the same time. The insurance comapny would have saved thousands ! In terms of your bill however, I would demand an itemised bill, listing 1. Time required for each person that attended to you (not including clerical staff), and their wage rates per hour. 2. Cost of the machine, and the expected number of cycles it will do over its lifetime (Divide cost by cycles to get the cost/cycle) 3. Itemised cost of running the office (this catches the clerical staff costs) 4. Profit margin - both dollars and %age. (Probably a few things I've missed, but hey, they'll get the idea) Then take this info to every consumer advocacy organisation, every newspaper that you can, and every TV station that will listen. Rob Di, sounds as if Rob has a good idea! Gwen > <snip> >> However, those f.ckers billed my insurance for $11,000.00. My dumbass [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > > Rob > <snip> > > However, those f.ckers billed my insurance for $11,000.00. My dumbass [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > > Rob Thank you, Rob. This is a great bunch of ideas. I'm saving this post, and if I do not get resolution from the insurance company, they're going to have to deal with ME. And, I'm not a very good loser. <beg> SignatureDi zinkadoodle at gmail dot com www.pbase.com/di www.dustydoggie.blogspot.com |
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