Here is the deal. In nursing school, all I could afford was Student Accident & Sickness Health Plan which is basically low-end "insurance plan" that has a $2,500 deductible and will only cover a max $10,000 of an emergency/sick health care bill. It was $100/month and I couldn't really even afford that at the time but health insurance was required for nursing school.
During clinical one day I nearly fainted during a venipuncture procedure. I've had a history of fainting while standing during non-blood related activities, so I agreed to be taken to the ER for an evaluation. They were unable to determine the reason for my fainting spells. My insurance didn't cover a penny of the $1800 visit, nor was I able to pay it during the last 1.5 years of nursing school because I did not have an income. I feel $1800 is a lot to charge someone without insurance coverage for a 2 hour hospital stay, ECG and bag of IV fluids ... but hey that's healthcare for you. Lol
Now I just accepted a job offer from the same hospital I have this medical bill collection with. In some ways I feel I should pay the bill off once I get an income from working there or at least settle the debt for a smaller payment. It is the LEAST I could do considering they just offered me a job, and are providing me income. For once I might be able to pay it! On the other hand it is an old debt and I have a huge amount of student loans to start paying off. I am in the process of filing bankruptcy from credit card debt that went into collections when my husband was unemployed for 8 months. I feel it is ethical to pay it, especially since they are giving me a job! :) Any opinions?
I have an acquaintance who works for a hospital and uses their ER quite frequently. Every so often, they go out of their way to pay up their bill because they do not wish to be grilled on it during their performance evaluation or worse yet, have a judgement and a wage garnishment.
I thought that Tenebrae was implying that $1800 would not come near the cost of the hospital visit, maybe it would cover the taxi ride home. I am thinking about the $57,000 plus charges of one of my ER visits.
As a matter of fact, self-pay patients are usually billed at a higher price point than insurers are for an insured patient. They can charge you a higher fee because you aren't part of the contract.
Many people don't know they can negotiate with the billing office. Don't take no for an answer. You can find out what they will bill Medicare/Medicaid for the same care, and then move on to the private insurer rate (Blue Cross, Kaiser, etc.)
Not always. The UC where I recently worked had a fee for service structured cheaper for direct cash OOP patients. As in, if you paid the full bill in cash at time of service it was about 1/3 less than the insured fees.
People not paying their hospital bills have a hand in why so many hospitals are becoming financially strapped. You used their services, so you should pay for those services. You said you had a history of fainting-why chose to go to the ER then? You could have seen your PCP and paid a much cheaper office co-pay. Also-this is not considered a self-pay or uninsured visit. You had insurance. Most likely, the bill was submitted to the insurance company. The bill was adjusted to the rate the insurance would have paid if you had met your deductible for the year. Since you had not met the $2500 deductible, it then becomes your financial responsibility-that is the agreement you had with your insurance company. But either way, if the hospital had your insurance information, they legally have to submit it to the insurance company first so it can be counted towards the deductible. I would recommend talking to your bankruptcy lawyer or going to the billing department to work out a payment plan.
My mother-on-law gave me sage advice when we had a mountain of medical bills.....she said "Pay them ANYTHING....and they will leave you alone and you will be in 'good-standing'. Well, they get $10 auto-paid every month, and it's been about 4 years now. NEVER have I gotten a phone call or letter, and it's NOT on my credit. You used the service, do the right thing and pay it.
You can also wait a until you have a few paychecks under your belt and/or money saved, and call and ask them for a 'deal'. Several times I have had them take 20% off the bill to pay it in a lump sum (not a payment plan).
I don't believe it is considered settled for 7 years of unpayment...somewhere around there.....and it will now normally appear on your credit report, lowering your score.
Unpaid debts stay on your credit file for 7 years then they are removed. There is a statute of limitations on how long the debt can be collected. After the SOL passes and you are still receiving payment demands you are best advised to ignore them because if you acknowledge that you do owe the money the SOL starts over again. If you're filing for bankruptcy I would include the bill.
Bankruptcy stays on your credit file for 10 years.
I am not a financial advisor so I don't know what is the best thing to do.
what I do know, though, is that you shouldn't let your emotions interfere with making major financial decisions. You are going to pay these people back for hiring you by being a worker. Don't let your emotions about having a job lead you to make improper financial decisions. Talk to someone and see what you need to do.
People not paying their hospital bills have a hand in why so many hospitals are becoming financially strapped. You used their services, so you should pay for those services. You said you had a history of fainting-why chose to go to the ER then? You could have seen your PCP and paid a much cheaper office co-pay. Also-this is not considered a self-pay or uninsured visit. You had insurance. Most likely, the bill was submitted to the insurance company. The bill was adjusted to the rate the insurance would have paid if you had met your deductible for the year. Since you had not met the $2500 deductible, it then becomes your financial responsibility-that is the agreement you had with your insurance company. But either way, if the hospital had your insurance information, they legally have to submit it to the insurance company first so it can be counted towards the deductible. I would recommend talking to your bankruptcy lawyer or going to the billing department to work out a payment plan.
if you pass out in the hospital during clinical, they're going to put you in the ER. She was unconscious. She couldn't just yell out "call my PCP!!!"
She did not say that she was unconscious, nor did she say she was forced to go to the ER. She could have passed out and come to within a few seconds and said "this happens to me often, I will go home and call my PCP." You are assuming she was unconscious for a significant amount of time. Regardless, she should be responsible and ethical and deal with the bill, not sweep it under the rug.
Am I the only person here who thinks this situation is mixing 'apples with oranges'? That being employed by XYZ Hospital is distinct from being in debt to XYZ?
Wouldn't there be a fine line of indentured servitude if the employer were to take action against OP as an employee. The billing dept is separate from personnel.
I can see wage garnishment as a valid approach by XYZ to recoup its owed debt, but they would 'garnish' OP regardless. I mean she could be working for Wally World or ABC Nursing Home and the garnishment would still go out. Like it would be for anybody owing money to XYZ.
OP should really take some steps to honor her debts thru some type of debt repayment as suggested by other OPs. Or thru her bankruptcy plans. Whatever.
My insurance didn't cover a penny of the $1800 visit, nor was I able to pay it during the last 1.5 years of nursing school because I did not have an income. I feel $1800 is a lot to charge someone without insurance coverage for a 2 hour hospital stay, ECG and bag of IV fluids ... but hey that's healthcare for you. Lol
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caliotter3
38,333 Posts
I have an acquaintance who works for a hospital and uses their ER quite frequently. Every so often, they go out of their way to pay up their bill because they do not wish to be grilled on it during their performance evaluation or worse yet, have a judgement and a wage garnishment.