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Medical Forum / General / Cardiology / April 2006

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Sharp Memorial hospital = mafia

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flexus333@yahoo.com - 29 Apr 2006 14:23 GMT
Sharp Memorial hospital can only honestly be referred to
as organized crime. They lie to get you in and served,
and then later they stick you with huge bills even if
you're unemployed or even homeless. They show no
mercy but only repeated deception. In my case they told
me repeatedly my service would be free because of
my circumstances, never elaborating. But now, despite their making
$470 million last year, they demand a huge sum of money
they know I cannot ever pay. And will they ever justify their
high prices? Of course not. Their profits are obtained through
extortion and lies. They are among America's most powerful
criminals, destroying our society so they can make profits,
steamrolling anyone who gets in their way and proving
themselves to be new Mafia.
Jeff - 29 Apr 2006 15:26 GMT
> Sharp Memorial hospital can only honestly be referred to
> as organized crime. They lie to get you in and served,
> and then later they stick you with huge bills even if
> you're unemployed or even homeless.

They have to do that.

> They show no
> mercy but only repeated deception. In my case they told
> me repeatedly my service would be free because of
> my circumstances, never elaborating.

Excellent.

> But now, despite their making
> $470 million last year, they demand a huge sum of money
> they know I cannot ever pay.

Have you written to them, explaining your situation, including the promises
of free care?

> And will they ever justify their
> high prices? Of course not.

Hospital accounting is the most screwed-up accounting in the world.

> Their profits are obtained through
> extortion and lies. They are among America's most powerful
> criminals, destroying our society so they can make profits,
> steamrolling anyone who gets in their way and proving
> themselves to be new Mafia.

They are not the new Mafia. If you don't like hospitals, don't go to them.

The fact of the matter is that hospitals provide vital services. The
accounting rules make it difficult to account for how the money is spent.
And to determine whom to provide with free care.

Jeff
blackrotspon@yahoo.com - 29 Apr 2006 16:37 GMT
I think it was maybe 60 minutes  or Dateline or 20/20 showed that if
you don't have insurance you get charged more.  If you have insurance,
you get charged less.  That seems to be the case here.

Try posting in Sci.Med.  That is where hospital complaints are posted.
Hawki63@sbcglobal.net - 29 Apr 2006 17:20 GMT
>I think it was maybe 60 minutes  or Dateline or 20/20 showed that if
> you don't have insurance you get charged more.  If you have insurance,
> you get charged less.  That seems to be the case here.

perhaps you misunderstood the term "accepts contracted rate"..

any provider who wants his name listed in the big book that comes with your
insurance info has to agree to accept an agreed upon payment for each
"diagnosis" ..procedure,,lab test etc....thus it looks like the insured
person is being charged more...they aren't..it is just that their insurance
company has negiotated a lower rate...the insured has to pay "their"
share...deductible,,copay..etc..

the uninsured has no insurance company going to the bargaining table for
them..thus the above does not occur..thus it "looks like" the uninsured is
being charged more

the uninsured is ALSO not writing a check each month for $944 for MY own
health plan..no..not for two (then it was $1800 a month)...luckily my old
guy is on Medicare now...so for the "privilige of nearly a grand a month in
premiums...I have the "privilige" of getting a reduced payment..

am currently swamped with the statements and bills for hubby's recent colon
cancer surgery....Medicare plus his Blue Cross supplemental ($200 a
month)...so far the ONLY thing Medicare has paid without a whimper is the 6
day hospital stay...bill was about $49,000....hospital "accepted" less than
$8000 .....no..we are not liable for the balance....

so far I have a slew of bills that were "apparently" miscoded by several
providers..as Medicare promptly labeled them "routine"...thus wouldn't pay a
cent...spent most of yesterday on the phone..had to get sweet hubby to give
"permission" for me to fight his battles...have called two
providers..waiting for their billing people to return my calls...Medicare
says..."should have been covered at 100%"....duh...

bottom line...those of us who pay thru the nose for coverage...are billed at
the same rate...but the providers accept less...

and for those who asked how the old guy is doing...thanks for asking...it
was ruf for the first 2-3 weeks..he is fine now...the cancer had not
spread...

ts are posted.
Robert - 29 Apr 2006 18:43 GMT
> and for those who asked how the old guy is doing...thanks for asking...it
> was ruf for the first 2-3 weeks..he is fine now...the cancer had not
> spread...

Super!!!!

Great news.
Hawki63@sbcglobal.net - 30 Apr 2006 00:43 GMT
>> and for those who asked how the old guy is doing...thanks for asking...it
>> was ruf for the first 2-3 weeks..he is fine now...the cancer had not
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> Great news.

thanks Robert......

so glad your gender doesn't birth the babies!!!  only kidding
Jeff - 29 Apr 2006 19:35 GMT
>I think it was maybe 60 minutes  or Dateline or 20/20 showed that if
> you don't have insurance you get charged more.  If you have insurance,
> you get charged less.  That seems to be the case here.

That has been the case for a long time. The charges that the hospitals bills
for has almost nothing to do with what the insurance companies pay.
Hospitals don't even really know what it costs to do a procedure.

Jeff

> Try posting in Sci.Med.  That is where hospital complaints are posted.
Kurt Gavin - 29 Apr 2006 21:11 GMT
It's a form of legalized fraud.  Think about a law suit and getting some
media publicity. Keep a written record of all communications and take the
stance that you want to know what the charges would have been with "Blue
Cross" or some other widespread coverage.

> Sharp Memorial hospital can only honestly be referred to
> as organized crime. They lie to get you in and served,
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> steamrolling anyone who gets in their way and proving
> themselves to be new Mafia.
 
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