What would you do in my situation? just looking for opinions.

Published

hello everyone!

about 3 weeks ago my son comes running up to my husband and i screaming and crying that his little sister swallowed a battery...a battery! she runs into the living room (they were playing back in his bedroom) and acts like shes got something in her throat but we couldn't see anything. so what would any concerned parent do? we take her to the emergency room to make sure she's ok. i know that battery acid can be fatal and she's just 2 years old, so we weren't about to wait overnight to see if something would happen (also this was around 8 at night so no doctors office was open where we live). so as we are driving to the hospital we're trying to calm our 5 yr old son down because he thinks the doctors are going to have to cut her open and also making sure our daughter is ok in the meantime. when we finally arrive she gets some x-rays done and the doctor comes in saying all it clear (wow what a relief!!). but recently we received her hospital bill and guess what??!! insurance didn't pay a penny!!!! i called and they told me that the doctor claimed that it wasn't an emergency...do you believe that? ok...did i not just say that battery acid can be fatal? let alone with a two year old! i'm fighting my insurance with this one and i also contacted the hospital and spoke with three different people...luckily the last woman i spoke with said if she were in my situation she would have done the same thing...finally someone on my side! she also does the medical coding and told me she'd send it in again to insurance...bless her heart.

so anyway i was wondering what you guys think and what you would have done in my situation. you know its crazy to think that people murder their children because they don't care and that some get away with it, but i think its beyond crazy that when someone does care about their kid...sometimes it just doesn't matter or pay in their favor in the end.

sorry for the long post, i'm just a little irritated right now.

thanks for listening everyone and have a great day!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

i would appeal the insurance compaines decision. find out the appeal process and do exactly as they tell you on the appeal process. i would also enclose a letter explaining the situation.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i agree -appeal it at the insurance level. Be sure to include recent, relevant and reliable information on how a child swallowing a battery IS a true emergency. I would have done the exact same thing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

That's crazy! I agree w/ the OP's ...

Good Luck challenging the Insurance Company!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I would have done just as you did as well! Situations like this are going to make people think twice about going to the ER in a true emergency. Would they refuse to pay for the care of someone who presented with chest pain but ruled out for an MI, too? A little extreme, I know, but still.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Oh, insurance is awful. I'm fighting a claim myself right now because I was in a rollover car accident and apparently that's not an emergency worth covering either. Dumb Dumb Dumb..pulls out hair.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.
Oh, insurance is awful. I'm fighting a claim myself right now because I was in a rollover car accident and apparently that's not an emergency worth covering either. Dumb Dumb Dumb..pulls out hair.

Make an inquiry with your AUto insurance. In many places injuries sustained while in a car have to be covered by the auto insurance.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I would also fight the decision. I mean, if the child (God FORBID) swallowed an overdose of pills and did not die, does that mean that you have to be charged?? I don't mean to bring up an extreme example, but I hope you guys get what I mean...

Horrible!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

this is not new. 30 or so years ago a woman came into the ED where i worked with abd pain, thinking appy....turned out to be mittlesmertz....BC refused to pay....dont know if they ever did.......

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Yeah..that's who I'm fighting :( The auto insurance.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I would appeal also.. perhaps calling your pediatrician's office would be helpful? Maybe a note from the doctor...which would possibly cost you just an office visit. Not sure if this would help at all, but worth a try.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

That's absurd. The doctor is a moron. It could have been fatal had she swallowed a battery. Glad you got someone to submit the bills again.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion