Hospital fees rant

Yesterday my wife woke up feeling dizzy with her heart racing and shortness of breath. I took her to the Emergency Room. They immediately did an EKG and sent her back to the waiting room. They called us back to get our insurance information and to collect payment before they would do any further tests. They showed me the estimated out of pocket expenses after insurance and it was $4,200. They collected payment on the spot. They then brought her back to a room in the ER for further tests. They ended up doing both a CAT scan and an MRI at which time they told me the out of pocket expenses will be going up because those are expensive tests.

We ended up spending about 10 hours at the ER and the out of pocket estimate went up to $6,400. Fortunately they didn't collect the other $2,200 but I am sure I will be getting a bill for it.

Our medical facilities in the U.S. are great but at some point we really need to figure out a better way to handle medical billing. I have no idea how much they will be billing the insurance for but at $6,400 out of my pocket we definitely need some reform.

Quote: DRich

Yesterday my wife woke up feeling dizzy with her heart racing and shortness of breath. I took her to the Emergency Room. .

So what did they find for all
that money. They usually
find nothing.

Quote: DRich

Our medical facilities in the U.S. are great but at some point we really need to figure out a better way to handle medical billing. I have no idea how much they will be billing the insurance for but at $6,400 out of my pocket we definitely need some reform.

I totally agree
The whole system needs to be blown up and rebuilt
Even employer health insurance is sky rocketing with the employee co pay getting bigger and bigger

Quote: Evenbob

So what did they find for all
that money. They usually
find nothing.

Brilliant diagnosis, the same as the doctors. We don't see any issues, it is probably stress.

CAT scan and MRI for those symptoms? She should have had a blood enzyme test at least, and even that will only show an actual attack, not a pre-attack. Those are heart attack symptoms. She should definitely follow up with a cardiologist. Yes, it might be stress. But there is no reason at all to ASSUME that it is stress. Often a mild attack is followed by a severe one weeks later. Been there.

Do you think anyone making gobs of money, whether on medical care, pharmaceuticals or insurance is lobbying to lower your cost?

Quote: DRich

Brilliant diagnosis, the same as the doctors. We don't see any issues, it is probably stress.

But you paid for a few doctors
Mercedes payments, that
should make you feel good.
I would have given them nothing
up front, I wait and see what I'm
getting for my money first.

For a very short time in the early
70's I worked for a collection
agency. They had filing cabinets
full of deadbeats. The people
who owed on doctor and hospital
bills dwarfed anything else. And
getting money from them was
next to impossible.

Quote: Mosca

CAT scan and MRI for those symptoms? She should have had a blood enzyme test at least, and even that will only show an actual attack, not a pre-attack. Those are heart attack symptoms. She should definitely follow up with a cardiologist. Yes, it might be stress. But there is no reason at all to ASSUME that it is stress. Often a mild attack is followed by a severe one weeks later. Been there.

They did do blood tests and urine tests too. I think they did a chest xray too. I had a heart attack 21 years ago when I was 32. Thankfully it was minor.

Quote: DRich

They did do blood tests and urine tests too. I think they did a chest xray too. I had a heart attack 21 years ago when I was 32. Thankfully it was minor.

I had mine at 37. She should still follow up with a cardiologist, I hope you can find a good one.

Quote: Mosca

I had mine at 37. She should still follow up with a cardiologist, I hope you can find a good one.

Not joking, my cardiologist dropped dead from a heart attack.