Health Care benefits.....and frustration

Whispera, MSN, RN · Mar 16, 2009

Talk to the hospital and explain your difficulty. Most hospitals will arrange payment plans and lots of them have funds available for people who can't pay for things. You have to ask or they don't know you need them though.

I do think you should get your test, considering what's going on....

Multicollinearity, BSN, RN · Mar 16, 2009

I think I'd just get the colonoscopy done and deal with your $540 deductible/copay expense later. Your health is much more important than worrying about a medical bill.

As I say this, I am a complete hypocrite. I need several things done, and I can't afford to pay my $2000 deductible. I don't want to take on the bills and damage my credit if I can't afford to make payments to the hospital.

There is a certain irony to working so hard to take care of others and not being able to get care yourself. I know.

Ugh. I understand. But with your symptoms, I'd just get it done and work out a payment plan later.

oramar · Mar 16, 2009

I think this highlights the problem with these high deductible plans. They were meant to discourage unnecessary procedures. However, what is actually happening is that middle and low income people go without because they can't afford the deductible. Most likely high deductibles work fine for upper middle and high income people because coming up with the money for the deductible is no problem for them. I could pay it now but I remember when it didn't make any difference if I had to pay $2000 or $2,000,000 I just wouldn't be able to pay it. I feel for you but I think you should offer to pay them $10 a month and get the procedure.

Multicollinearity, BSN, RN · Mar 16, 2009

ksrose,

Is the hospital requiring payment of $540 up front before the procedure, or are you just anticipating receiving the bill and worrying about how to pay it later?

ksrose1 · Mar 16, 2009

Hello, the hospital is asking that I pay my co-pay of the test before I go in. They are willing to let me make payments but only after I pay them at least half of the co-pay then they will take $25 a pay period until the pay is complete. This is just the hospital part, but I also have to work with the doctor doing the test. I have rescheduled for Mid May and will be making payments to both the hospital and doctor until they are both happy with the financial end of it. That's all I can do. My husband and I just made our summer classes payments before I went to the doctor and was given this happy news. I can either pay the doctor or pay the hospital but I can't pay both and neither will take less.

oramar · Mar 16, 2009

Hello, the hospital is asking that I pay my co-pay of the test before I go in. They are willing to let me make payments but only after I pay them at least half of the co-pay then they will take $25 a pay period until the pay is complete. This is just the hospital part, but I also have to work with the doctor doing the test. I have rescheduled for Mid May and will be making payments to both the hospital and doctor until they are both happy with the financial end of it. That's all I can do. My husband and I just made our summer classes payments before I went to the doctor and was given this happy news. I can either pay the doctor or pay the hospital but I can't pay both and neither will take less.

Oh, I heard that some hospitals were doing that now, asking for the money up front. However, I did not know that docs were doing it. Well paying ahead in increments sounds like a plan at least. I got the impression you were not going to have it for a long time. I am glad you have a plan.

ksrose1 · Mar 16, 2009

I wasn't, my husband talked me in to it....said he was tired of being left a table waiting for me when we are eating.......I tend to leave him sitting alone alot. Think he wants me to be around for a while.

It'sMe, RN, BBA, MBA · Mar 16, 2009

Nyet! I don't buy it! This is the hospital you work at? Come on, you need to put more effort than that! Demand to speak to the Manager of Financial Services or whatever they call your patient financial services. You are an employee, you can give them the abilty to autodraft your paycheck which you said they are willing to do. You have to be talking to one of the nice ladies that sits in the cloth cubes and talks to indigent patients all day. :banghead:You need to work your way up the chain until you get to someone high enough up that says "you know what, you are an employee here and you need to be treated better than this." If that doesn't work then go to HR and yell like a wounded CFO. Sometimes financial services gets so caught up in their rules and policies they do not understand that there is a human there that needs to be treated. And the poor ladies in the cubes are just doing their job (and trying to keep it). You deserve better, now go get it! :yeah:

ksrose1 · Mar 16, 2009

You sound like my best friend......she said about the same thing. I am going in tomorrow to talk with HR and the billing office.

j_audrey · Mar 16, 2009

i am one of those nice ladies that works in the cubicle... lol

i would call back and ask about a financial assistance form. now, i will warn you, they may say its an elective vs. emergent procedure, so they may deny you... but it should be based off of your income (which given your circumstances, you may or may not qualify, i don't have your guidelines or your income) if they don't worry about the type of services.

hospitals are doing more point of service payment, because here on the back end, you can chase someone only so much, and it gets costly. i would rather see you pay up front or qualify for financial assistance than to have to call you later down the road to pay your bill, but only in non emergent cases. you can have all the services you need and i'll call you until i'm blue in the face if need be with patients on an emergent basis.

most facilities do not treat their employees any different than your average patient. i don't get a discount, my insurance is so not the best policy out there, i don't qualify for financial assistance and i have a payroll deduction to pay for my diabetes labs. remember that when you deal with 'us' that many times we are in the very same boat.

i don't deal with indigent patients every day. i see my fair share of them, but i also deal with families who have to decide whether their kids eat or they get their labs done. it's really tough all over.

i'm sorry your in a bind. you can pm me with any questions... i will try to help the best i can.

(btw, imo the high deductible plans should be outlawed. they are the bane of my existence currently and are not useful. granted, you may be very healthy now, but i have seen some pretty unfortunate circumstances come up and i hate it when i have to explain the deductible on their insurance. our job sucks sometimes!)

retiredlady · Mar 16, 2009

Get yourself on your husbands plan and it would take care of the 20% or so of yours, but of course husband would have to pay more for a spouse. A lot of the times hospitals will give a discount--like ours will pay 15% outpatient and 20% inpatient.