LNN Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 This is an incredibly long article from Time - took me all day to read it because I kept getting disgusted and had to walk away. I kept thinking about how we struggle to get medical help for our kids while these hospital CEOs make millions in salaries. http://healthland.time.com/2013/02/20/bitter-pill-why-medical-bills-are-killing-us/ It's an eye-opening read. Bookmark it just in case you ever find yourself on the wrong end of a medical bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomWithOCDSon Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 Haven't had time to read it yet, but for anyone who's a fan of Jon Stewart's "Daily Show" on Comedy Central, the author of this article is Jon's guest tonight (2/21) on the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpotter Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 This is an incredibly long article from Time - took me all day to read it because I kept getting disgusted and had to walk away. I kept thinking about how we struggle to get medical help for our kids while these hospital CEOs make millions in salaries. http://healthland.time.com/2013/02/20/bitter-pill-why-medical-bills-are-killing-us/ It's an eye-opening read. Bookmark it just in case you ever find yourself on the wrong end of a medical bill. My son did not get a major treatment, several years ago, because although he had insurance approval, the hospital wanted verbal approval by the insurance company. By the time the hospital called insurance to get it, and the insurance company kept telling them that it was "in writing" in their system, it was "too late" to allow my son to go that week for his treatment. There was a "line" of children waiting for this treatment, and my son's appointment was put off for TWO more weeks, by which something major had happened to another child, and all treatments for future kids was stopped! Through a series of problems after that, my son got NO treatment for 9 more months! It was a complete nightmare. And, all because the hospital wouldn't accept any kind of verification other than the one that THEY decided needed to be done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuliaFaith Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 Thank you for the article...very interesting. One point not mentioned is that the government finances quite a bit of research at colleges. Not sure where the line is drawn in terms of 'conflict of interest.' Very thought provoking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorriedDADNMOM Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 I know this sounds bad, but I just refused to pay the doctors for their time. If they did nothing they got nothing. I just pressed on to the doc that would help. Have gotten help and 15 months in and alot more money spent than the orginal non payment money, we are in a flare and still in a decent place. Point being, don't feel bad about advocating for your kiddos. Don't feel bad about not paying for crappy service. Only govt, lawyers and doctors can provide crappy service you still have to pay. Not me. No more. Sorry for the rant but if we all push back that is what will chang the way the medical community will treat our kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wombat140 Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 (edited) $1.50 for one Tylenol. $36 to take a blood sample. Meanwhile in the UK, members of our half-baked attempt at a government are declaring that the state-funded National Health Service is hopelessly inefficient and must be replaced by something more like the cost-effective American model. Just saying. THIS is why we have to keep fighting them. Edited February 22, 2013 by Wombat140 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandakid11 Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 We got charged $52 for one kleenex when he was in hospital. I have thrown $2000 in dispute. They can sue me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobbiemommy Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 Simply nauseating! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomWithOCDSon Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 We got charged $52 for one kleenex when he was in hospital. I have thrown $2000 in dispute. They can sue me. Bully for you! Way back on his original birthday, DS was put in neonatal ICU because he supposedly had low blood sugar (he was a full 12.5 pounds at birth, and I was actually induced three days early on the advice of my OBGYN because he was concerned that the baby was getting too big -- as a result, the entire hospital staff kept referring to him as a "premature delivery"! By 3 stinking days! Really rattled my cage!). Anyway, after we came home, we received a copy of a bill that had been submitted to our insurance company which included a charge of over $300 to a neonatologist who supposedly saw my son but never bothered to report to DH or me, or even our pediatrician, who also had privileges at the same hospital! I was furious and told the insurance company I wanted to dispute the charge. The insurance company went and paid the bill anyway. Honestly, this system is so corrupt, so indefensible . . . how can we even begin to believe that it's "fixable"?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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