Hanging Out

[bobm]

My brother's wife is an RN and for the last 20 years she has worked for a Health Insurance Co. who sends her throughout Cal. to audit Hospital Billings and when she finds overcharges, the Insurance company refuses to pay for the overcharges. The most often cause of the overcharges are to cover the emergency room visits by illegals for minor colds, minor cuts and bruises. I can vouch for this as several years ago I sustained a fractured wrist and had to wait at the emergency room for almost 11 hours occupied by way over 100 people ( extending into the parking lot where I had to wait )with their kids with snoty noses, or bandaided fingers, etc. and I never once heard a word of English spoken. I had insurance, but I was not given even an aspirin tablet for extream pain, much less got to fill out any paperwork untill my number was called. 3 hours later , I had surgery to insert a stainless steel pin through my wrist bones and through my arm bones to attach an external fixator in order to stabilize my wrist.

 

[so lucky]

In this area, we are getting lots of walk-in clinics for emergency but not critical events. You only have maybe an hour wait.

 

[Smart Red]

My mother would go over every charge on her hospital bill. When she questioned charges to DR that never even looked at her, was told insurance paid it why are you complaining.

I haven't ever gotten an itemized bill. I know of at least one 'treatment' that was listed in my records that I never received, but I don't know how to complain without a complete listing of services rendered. I just get a total charge after everything is sent to Medicare and WEA insurance.

 

[Nyboy]

billing dept of hospital has it give you itemized bill if you request it in writting.

 

[Smart Red]

I just may do that. Why wouldn't they send on as a matter of course? Humph!

 

[Nyboy]

Red you may be very surprised at what your insurance company was billed for.