Health Care In U.s. Screwed Me Over
he still stands
Posts: 2,835
<rant>
So I get a bill from collections the other day in regards to a hospital visit in January. I had previously taken care of it, or so I thought, when I called BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD and they told me the claim was taken care of, I owed NOTHING.
Now I call them again, and I get a completely different story.
"This particular department of the hospital (radiology) is not within your network, so it isn't covered."
me - "So I should ask each person, whether it be a doctor, nurse, radiologist, etc within the hospital if they are in my network before they do anything? And I should visit a different hospital for each department that is within my network?
her - "Unfortunately that is the way it works."
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SOME DEPARTMENTS OF THE HOSPITAL ARE WITHIN NETWORK AND SOME AREN'T???? AND BLUE CROSS'S WEBSITE SAID THE HOSPITAL WAS IN NETWORK, WITH NO STIPULATION ABOUT SEPARATE DEPARTMENTS!!!!!!!!!! NOW I OWE FUCKING $665, AND THE ONE FUCKING VISIT FOR MY WIFE (A SIMPLE KIDNEY INFECTION) IS GOING TO COST ME ABOUT $1000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND I PAY $164 / MONTH FOR THIS GODDAMN HEALTH INSURANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FUCK ME IN THE BRAIN. DON'T USE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD.
</rant>
So I get a bill from collections the other day in regards to a hospital visit in January. I had previously taken care of it, or so I thought, when I called BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD and they told me the claim was taken care of, I owed NOTHING.
Now I call them again, and I get a completely different story.
"This particular department of the hospital (radiology) is not within your network, so it isn't covered."
me - "So I should ask each person, whether it be a doctor, nurse, radiologist, etc within the hospital if they are in my network before they do anything? And I should visit a different hospital for each department that is within my network?
her - "Unfortunately that is the way it works."
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SOME DEPARTMENTS OF THE HOSPITAL ARE WITHIN NETWORK AND SOME AREN'T???? AND BLUE CROSS'S WEBSITE SAID THE HOSPITAL WAS IN NETWORK, WITH NO STIPULATION ABOUT SEPARATE DEPARTMENTS!!!!!!!!!! NOW I OWE FUCKING $665, AND THE ONE FUCKING VISIT FOR MY WIFE (A SIMPLE KIDNEY INFECTION) IS GOING TO COST ME ABOUT $1000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND I PAY $164 / MONTH FOR THIS GODDAMN HEALTH INSURANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FUCK ME IN THE BRAIN. DON'T USE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD.
</rant>
Everything not forbidden is compulsory and eveything not compulsory is forbidden. You are free... free to do what the government says you can do.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
In the US you can't, when its provided by your employer. My employer only allows me to make changes (including cancellation) in November of each year.
The best expression of Love is Time.
The best time to Love is Now.
I'm never as good as when you're there.........
Really? I've had BCBS in two different states and I think it is the best/easiest to use health insurance I've had. I don't need referals and the prescriptions are ultra cheap. What state are you in? BCBS is actually a whole bunch of different companies, that's why it's called BCBS of [state]. I think it also makes a BIG difference which network your company signs up for. If you have the PPO you can pretty much go anywhere you please.
Basically his insurance is telling him to hire a lawyer and get this settled, or pay out of his pocket. Which in the end he gets screwed either way and has to pay out of his pocket regardless. Great service he's getting paying his $275/month to have insurance.
Arizona.
This is a recurring theme. It took me 1 hour of phone calls to reach a person to talk to. Previously they told me this bill was paid for, so I forgot about it, and now I've been turned into collections. So my credit is fucked too, and I'm about ready to buy a house so I'll stand to lose $1000s because of this on interest expense.
I'm about ready to lose my mind. These corporations are protected from the government, and the DUMB fucks that I talked to are protected by limited liability of the corporation.
He needs to keep appealing this decision. Insurance Companies always DENY on the first attempt. They think we are all too dumb to fight their decisions.
The best expression of Love is Time.
The best time to Love is Now.
I'm never as good as when you're there.........
It only makes the companies richer and the people sicker..
I think this is a *somewhat* true statement, but very much oversimplified.
I agree that for people who cannot afford private insurance, the system blows and they're pretty much screwed.
But the issue raised by the original poster isn't really one of not having access, it's about bureaucratic red tape. I think that if you CAN afford insurance, healthcare in the US is pretty good. There are problems of course, and there is some very annoying bureaucracy as has been pointed out. However, I am willing to bet that in situations were health care is provided by the state the bureaucracy is 100 times worse. I have heard stories from Canadians that it takes a ridiculously long time to see a doctor, lots of hoops to jump through, etc. I've also *heard* (I don't know if it's 100% accurate) that in the canadian system the state makes trade off decisions about who can receive care in the face of scarce resources, for example, if you are elderly you will be low on the totem poll for receiving care. I don't think there is any such thing as perfect health care- whether it be provided publically or privately there are still going to be so many economic problems. I think the main problem in the US is that if you don't have the money, you don't have access. I think the government needs to step in and step that access up big time. But I also don't know if it should be 100% covered by the state, because it is not a pure public good and I don't want the government making all my health care decisions for me as long I can afford to do it myself.
He put in for one, but I'm not sure what's happened since then. I'll see him this weekend so I can check up on that and see where it stands. Last Tuesday the swelling was down enough for them to operate so he's trying to get in quick. The hospital wanted a deposit though first so he's waiting for his CC to come in. Got himself a no interest one, that way he can get his knee done while continuing this with them. A company he works for as well is pitching in some money as a donation to help pay for his deposit, but they won't get him that check for about two weeks they said. So he's getting it going, it's just the hassle to get it done is beyond belief. I'm hoping it all comes out well for him.
I wouldn't really call it red tape, I'd call it misinformation.
They provided a list of hospitals "within our network."
The doctor told my wife she needed to see a radiologist for an MRI, which was provided for at the hospital "within our network."
Now they say that this specific department of the hospital isn't within our network, and we should have seen another radiologist at a different location that was within our network. (which is a Catch 22, can you see a Radiologist at another hospital and then come back to that hospital, when YOUR WIFE IS IN EXCRUCIATING FUCKING PAIN!!! Christ she needed to get it fixed, not drive around all night to make sure we were within our "network" for each department of the hospital)
Again, this is stealing in its most primitive definition. They figured out a way to reduce their coverage, its not red tape, its STEALING!!!
God help us if we have fascist healthcare.
Gambling=a taxation on stupidity.
Remember, you can walk anywhere, as long as you have the time.
http://www.ryanmontbleauband.com/
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Let me know how it goes! Poor Guy. I'm glad he's being ProActive.
The best expression of Love is Time.
The best time to Love is Now.
I'm never as good as when you're there.........
What a bummer. I can totally see how crap like this happens. I'm sorry you're going thru this (I've been thru it too, my son has had 3 open heart surgeries, so many doctors covered by ins and NOT covered). It seems like it never ends.
The best expression of Love is Time.
The best time to Love is Now.
I'm never as good as when you're there.........
My thoughts are with you and your son... a much more serious situation than mine.
Peace n Love for you both.
This is true, I have friends in the medical field who have advised me to keep pushing it. I've had experiences in the past where talking to one person got me nowhere but then calling back and talking to someone else changed everything. Even the original poster could try this...that situation actually sounds very odd to me- I've never heard of something like that happening- if the doctor orders a test at the same hospital it is usually covered. I'd keep trying.
We do have fascist healthcare... run by corporations rather than government. You have no choice... well I guess you do... your choice is to get fucked over by Corporation A or Corporation B.
I'll try again on Monday... I've been on the phone this AM for 2 hours and actually need to get some work done now.
Healthcare is not just HEALTHCARE, it's a BUSINESS. Doctors are BUSINESS MEN!! It's interesting how it all works.
A typical visit to the ER could amount to numerous seperate bills.
Dr's Bill is seperate from the facility (Hosp) bill. Xrays, labs etc.
It may be that the Hospital is in-network but the Doctor that saw you is NOT in network. The X ray Dept could be In-Network or NOT, the Radiologist that actually reads the Xray's could be In-Network or not..........it goes on and on :(
The best expression of Love is Time.
The best time to Love is Now.
I'm never as good as when you're there.........
"Sometimes life should be consumed in measured doses"
6-01-06
6/25/08
Free Speedy
and Metsy!
no I don't have their names... unfortunately I was too confident in the system and had no doubt that it would be taken care of. I took their word as the truth. How dumb of me!!!
Yes it was an ER visit... I wish we could have gone to an urgent care facility (this was at midnight), which is itself another shady business, but at least they would have gotten us in and out in a timely manner with antibiotics and pain killers in our hands, all for the low low price of $100 plus prescription costs.
I wonder if they can deny coverage b/c it was an emergency then?
I don't know how it works in Arizona, unfortunately :(
"Sometimes life should be consumed in measured doses"
6-01-06
6/25/08
Free Speedy
and Metsy!
It's not healthcare that screwed you. It's health INSURANCE.
We need to start making the distinction, people. Health Insurance is the root of the entire problem.
We need to get rid of that system and start paying for all but catastrophic health costs out of our own pockets.
After all, we're all STILL paying for the health care PLUS the cost of running the health insurance industry. They're not doing the work for free, folks....
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
spoken like someone who has no clue how things work
you are so blind and ignorant is sickens me!
As I see it, we won't really know if your assumption is correct until a Gov't system is created and tested...
as it stands, the current private system just plain sucks...personally, I'm willing to take a chance on a Gov't run health care system...will it be perfect? I doubt it...but I do know if the system is not-for-profit, it would be better than a for-profit system...
there are tons of gov't run health care systems and they run pretty well without putting people in bankruptcy. Go to your nearest Canadian, Brit, or French and ask them about their horrible health care.
Thank you.........I'm wishing you luck on your situation too.
The best expression of Love is Time.
The best time to Love is Now.
I'm never as good as when you're there.........
What an uninformed statement...
Let me assure you that it really sucks here in Canada when your health care system covers you everywhere in the country (except Quebec). If I tear my ACL and dislocate my kneecap in Gimli, Manitoba, but I live in Yahk, BC - it's paid for! An ambulance ride is $100, and if you have Extended Benefits, that pays for it...
I can seen who I want, when I want, and get a many prescriptions as I want as often as I want until the PharmaCare system's computer figures it out - but that normally takes a few months. Our goverment (fascist, according to you) has no say in who I chose for a GP or how many GPs I can consult for however many opinions I want. If I need a CT or an MRI, my personally selected GP (or ER dept) makes a referral and I go on a waitlist until a spot becomes available. If it's an emergency, I go to the top of the list.
Need emergency surgery? Choose a hospital and off you go. Do you get a bill? Nope. It's covered...
Yeah - that's a system that really sucks...don't know why anyone would want that.
and it's all supplemented by the U.S. You can thank us for your prescription drugs that we created and that we sell to you for cheaper than we sell to ourselves.
Your welcome.