airplanemechanic
Diamond Member
- Nov 8, 2014
- 18,006
- 13,105
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I want to preface this with I'm not selling anything.
Right before my cousin suffered a brain hemorrhage (AVM) and permanent brain damage, she was a nurse. She told me never pay the full bill given to me if I have to go to the hospital. Always call and negotiate.
Low and behold back in April I wound up in the ER. I was vomiting (blood at the time but I didn't realize it because it looked like coffee grounds and not blood like out of a wound) and I had severe diarrhea and of course vomiting. I was stuck at a rest stop in my truck and unable to do anything. I got permission from my company to drive like that about 33 miles to the nearest real truck stop in a real city. That truck stop also had showers available which rest stops don't have.
I got to the truck stop and got an Uber to take me to the ER. They gave me an IV and gave me two liters of fluid. I was severely dehydrated and very dizzy. I was in and out in about 3-4 hours.
I got a bill from the hospital for 2900 dollars. I was floored. I called them and said this is ridiculous I'm not paying that. I was not admitted to the hospital and not given anything but 2 liters of water in a needle in my arm. They sent me a "revised" bill for 1300. This included 600 dollars of lab work as they did some blood tests to make sure I didn't have renal failure. That's fine.
I got a second bill from just the ER doctor for 1100. I called them again and said I'm not paying this much, the doctor didn't do anything but say give him two bags of fluid. They said they would see what they could do after reviewing my case. A month later I get a revised bill for 300 dollars.
So I want everyone to know this. I had health insurance through my company and it turned out to be crap, it denied everything. But if you are in this situation, call and negotiate. They will do it.
I have since found other health insurance.
Right before my cousin suffered a brain hemorrhage (AVM) and permanent brain damage, she was a nurse. She told me never pay the full bill given to me if I have to go to the hospital. Always call and negotiate.
Low and behold back in April I wound up in the ER. I was vomiting (blood at the time but I didn't realize it because it looked like coffee grounds and not blood like out of a wound) and I had severe diarrhea and of course vomiting. I was stuck at a rest stop in my truck and unable to do anything. I got permission from my company to drive like that about 33 miles to the nearest real truck stop in a real city. That truck stop also had showers available which rest stops don't have.
I got to the truck stop and got an Uber to take me to the ER. They gave me an IV and gave me two liters of fluid. I was severely dehydrated and very dizzy. I was in and out in about 3-4 hours.
I got a bill from the hospital for 2900 dollars. I was floored. I called them and said this is ridiculous I'm not paying that. I was not admitted to the hospital and not given anything but 2 liters of water in a needle in my arm. They sent me a "revised" bill for 1300. This included 600 dollars of lab work as they did some blood tests to make sure I didn't have renal failure. That's fine.
I got a second bill from just the ER doctor for 1100. I called them again and said I'm not paying this much, the doctor didn't do anything but say give him two bags of fluid. They said they would see what they could do after reviewing my case. A month later I get a revised bill for 300 dollars.
So I want everyone to know this. I had health insurance through my company and it turned out to be crap, it denied everything. But if you are in this situation, call and negotiate. They will do it.
I have since found other health insurance.
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