According to Tiage's memo, “Patients went to swim” – “Patient” is me -“After getting out of the pool, his hand was washed away and felt itchy. The vision was “It looks like it has been pixil,” I felt his speech was unclear. “
I felt like I was doing allergic reactions, and the following thing I knew was on the ambulance for the emergency room. The good news that my symptoms were clearly misinformation have been reduced by a series of invoices received in the next nine months.
First, there was one for two miles to the hospital, and the ambulance company claimed $ 2,750 from my insurance company. After that, I still have $ 251. However, when I sent an email to an ambulance company CFO and suggested that it may have already received sufficient compensation for 29 minutes of work, the bill I received has disappeared. 。
The hospital I visited agreed to accept only $ 2,500 from my insurance company -the first invoice is $ 4,500 -but surprisingly, I wanted another $ 701. did. Charging of this size is not unusual: National average self -pay cost paid by the insured The visit was $ 646According to the 2022 report from Peterson-Kff Health System Tracker.
The hospital agreed to abandon more than 40 % of my first invoice, but my personal invoice was impossible to negotiate.
There are many unknown things related to healthcare, but finance is sacrificed. I knew that my insurance plan covers 80 %, but there is no way to know which procedure is required in the emergency treatment room. Therefore, the remaining 20 % of the responsibilities may be almost all the amount.
In fact, when the insured enters ER, I agree to write a blank check. I talked about the experience of Ashley Blackburn, a senior director related to policy and government. Healthcare for everyoneA non -profit organization proposed to secure access. “I think it's the way you explain it, yes,” she says to me, “You just leave it depending on the situation.”
The federal law, known as the No Surstise Act, which was enforced in 2022, requires a “sincere estimate” of care costs, but the provisions are applied to patients and some emergency services using insurance. Not done. In 2012, Massachusetts has established Chapter 224. This requires both insurance companies and medical providers to disclose the cost of procedures according to the request. But, of course, this cannot be applied if you are on an ambulance or accelerating ER.
“Hello, Etna? I think it's 3:00 am, but check if the hospital is going.
In particular, medical treatment is often claimed fragmentally, and it is another task to try to wrap your arms in what you have, as the patient is often care for a long time after receiving care. 。 About nine months after the day of the visit to ER, I paid what I thought was all my invoice. I received another invoice from a doctor. 。 His service costs about $ 16.75 per second, but it seemed a bit excessive. However, the hospital is not upset. I had $ 78.50 towards my bill.
At least it is difficult to sympathize with a hugler like me who has health insurance. There are many low -income patients with no insurance or insurer, and I will be pleased with the problems I do. But do you think the uncertainty we are facing the price setting will remind you of the visit we need? As a result of waiting, the cost of insurance companies, hospitals, and consumers may increase.
“Skipping or delaying care is a big concern, and it's absolutely happening here in Massachusetts,” says Blackburn. She has quoted the Massachusetts State Health Insurance survey by the Health Information and Analysis Center. I passed without the medical services required for cost.
Even if my hospital discounted my invoice by 40 %, it would have been nice to match the discounts given by my insurance company. But if you are too claimed or suspect that you can't afford to buy the price, you've asked your price and learned that it is important to raise your hand. The 2019 Kaiser Health News analysis shows that 45 % of non -profit hospitals actually send invoices to people. Qualification of the hospital itself free or discounted care program。 And according to one recent survey Jamahels Forum, Ask after the bill An error may be corrected (This was about 26 % of respondents), price reduction (15 %), and/or invoices were completely canceled (7 %). If you don't ask, you don't know what you can do.
And finally, what about the restricted law to manage the period when the hospital must issue an invoice? It seems reasonable for 30 days. Before the final invoice arrived nine months later, I was finally merciful and almost successful.
“Customer service, it's me again. The last question, I promise: I'm covered before accepting this gown from a nurse?”
Andy Levinsky is frequently contributing Globe magazine. Send a comment to magazine@globe.com.
