STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

member · Hermes

Question about Hospital Bill

poptart · Coach

I would phone the doctor's office / hospital for sure. My understanding is that doctors charge different rates when patients don't have insurance, so let them know that he is technically uninsures. And I definitely think they would set up a payment plan, too.

Tara · Dooney & Bourke

Well, I think you can try. My b/f broke his nose ~6 months ago. I made him to go the hospital (he didn't have health insurance at the time). The Dr. looked at him for at most 2 minutes, said there was nothing they could do and sent him a bill for $600. We were livid. My b/f called the Dr. and she was actually really nice. I guess the hospital charges by the hour, so he was charged as if he had seen the Dr. for a full hour. There was a lot of back and forth - my b/f had to write 2 different letters. Anyway, he ended up only having to pay ~$200. BUT, it was a lot of hassle and he was very very persistent.

For $2,000 I think it is worth a shot to actually speak to the treating Dr. I know my b/f's Dr. was willing to help once she knew that he didn't have insurance.

shopgirl82 · Chanel

Tara wrote:

For $2,000 I think it is worth a shot to actually speak to the treating Dr. I know my b/f's Dr. was willing to help once she knew that he didn't have insurance.

i know that my dad is a dentist, and he would definitely work out a payment plan if a patient couldn't pay (maybe that's just the way he is). i think most physicians work this way.

member · Hermes

Persistant is my middle name, so I don't mind being persistant if it means we won't have to pay $2,000! The bill came from the hospital (Northwestern), and it says for payment questions to call the accounts office, but do you think maybe we should first call the actual doctor and try to speak to him? I don't know if he has any say in it, since the bill came from Northwestern?

Hermione · Kate Spade

At the very least, they will make a payment plan for you.

I would be extremely surprised if you were able to speak to the actual doctor - it's nearly impossible to get doctors on the phone, especially for billing questions! they've got a team of people who screen their calls ...

i think your best bet would be to talk to whoever in billing.

member · Hermes

Hermione wrote:

At the very least, they will make a payment plan for you. I would be extremely surprised if you were able to speak to the actual doctor - it's nearly impossible to get doctors on the phone, especially for billing questions! they've got a team of people who screen their calls ... i think your best bet would be to talk to whoever in billing.

Our doctor is really cool actually. He's called him and talked to him before, so I don't think it'd be a big issue to get him on the phone, I just don't know if he has any say over the billing?

Hermione · Kate Spade

actually if you can talk to him then, you may want to - he could tell the billing department to change the services rendered or something like that - he's the one who tells them what to bill for, so he may tell them that he made a mistake, or to adjust something.

Tara · Dooney & Bourke

shopchicago33 wrote:

Our doctor is really cool actually. He's called him and talked to him before, so I don't think it'd be a big issue to get him on the phone, I just don't know if he has any say over the billing?

Oh good! I called the b/f just to double check how he got his bill reduced. He did contact the Dr. directly. The Dr. spoke to billing and then he had to write a detailed account of his visit in a letter to the Dr. The Dr. signed the letter, noting that her time with the patient was very minimal, etc. Anyway, contacting the Dr. is the best route IMO!

Good luck!!!!!! These things SUCK!

member · Hermes

You girls are the best! Thanks for the advice. I will tell the BF to call the doctor and explain that his insurance dropped him, etc, and maybe he can help us out. I'll keep you guys posted.