Medical Costs - Help

[SS Trooper]

So a few months ago my sister, self employed with insurance, had a seizure at work and her coworkers called 911. The paramedics arrived and assisted and then transported my sister to the hospital.

Since my sister was at work, no one with experience with her medical condition was present to take control of the situation. She did not need to go to the hospital, especially in an ambulance.

Here comes the bill... Over $1300 dollars. Insurance company paid 200 and change, leaving my sister to foot a bill for over 1000 dollars. This is just for the ambulance ride, the ER bill hasn't come in yet.

I'm not looking to get her off the hook for the money. I'm looking for some kind of assistance program, or a way to reduce the bill (since the 7 mile trip was pretty pricey). While I'm quite certain the paramedics did their job very well, giving my sister 5-10 minutes to gather herself would have saved her this bill. I know, I know blah blah blah some person could die in those 5-10 minutes. Paramedics are trained for this, they should know this was not a dire situation.

Try not to flame, I'm trying to save her money because she has horrible luck and she tries very hard to make it by. She also just told me that she's preggerz :biggrin: so I don't want her to stress out over this.

If I don't find anyway to help her, I will be paying the bill (if I can get her to accept my money at least)

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Chiropteran]

I've heard of this, it's pretty common. Ambulances are a big for-profit scam. If someone calls an ambulance for you it's almost impossible to refuse it once they arrive, they will claim you aren't in your right mind and you could be endangering yourself if you refuse to ride, and basically threaten to have you arrested if you don't take the ride.

It's really pretty sad what this country is turning into.

 

[Gooberlx2]

So, probably your sister hasn't yet met her deductible or MOOP.

Anyway, she'll just need to call the ambulance company (and hospital, eventually) to setup a no interest payment plan and (hopefully) negotiate a reduced bill. Hospitals and ambulances do this sort of thing all the time.

 

[OutHouse]

last Feb my daughter had a breathing episode at a evening high school basketball game, she was in the pep band. since there was a ambulance crew stationed there for the game they treated her and put in IV's line, no bags of meds or dextros. By the time my wife got there she was fine but the ambulance crew insisted they take her to the hospital. my wife was not assertive enough and let them. well that ride was $3200 bucks and my new company provided health insurance with Blue Cross paid for half. the ER bill was another thousand....

Gooblerlx2 is right. the ambulance company will setup payments with your sister. just call them and work it out.

 

[mshan]

Do some google research for medical billing advocate.

When Carmen Ulrich Wong used to have her show on CNBC, a lady named Norah Johnson used to appear discussing this topic.

They obviously don't work for free, so you need to ask them specifically how and if / when they get paid when deciding whether to contest the billing or not.

Good luck!

 

[EagleKeeper]

If you are worried about her not accepting $$ from you; pay the bill behind her back

 

[DCal430]

So a few months ago my sister, self employed with insurance, had a seizure at work and her coworkers called 911. The paramedics arrived and assisted and then transported my sister to the hospital.

Since my sister was at work, no one with experience with her medical condition was present to take control of the situation. She did not need to go to the hospital, especially in an ambulance.

Here comes the bill... Over $1300 dollars. Insurance company paid 200 and change, leaving my sister to foot a bill for over 1000 dollars. This is just for the ambulance ride, the ER bill hasn't come in yet.

I'm not looking to get her off the hook for the money. I'm looking for some kind of assistance program, or a way to reduce the bill (since the 7 mile trip was pretty pricey). While I'm quite certain the paramedics did their job very well, giving my sister 5-10 minutes to gather herself would have saved her this bill. I know, I know blah blah blah some person could die in those 5-10 minutes. Paramedics are trained for this, they should know this was not a dire situation.

Try not to flame, I'm trying to save her money because she has horrible luck and she tries very hard to make it by. She also just told me that she's preggerz :biggrin: so I don't want her to stress out over this.

If I don't find anyway to help her, I will be paying the bill (if I can get her to accept my money at least)

Thanks for any advice.

A 5 to 10 minute seizure can be enough to cause massive brain damage and death. I have a relative is who basically mentally disabled now due to seizures. A also high school classmate who died from a massive seizure. IT is better to be safe than sorry. Thousands in the U.S die each year from seizures.

 

[chusteczka]

There used to be a time when someone subject to seizures did not live an autonomous lifestyle separate from someone who could manage their seizure should it happen. These people were dependent on others just in case care was needed. There was also a time when people with such medical conditions knew better than to get pregnant and thoughtlessly pass those genes on to the next generation.

There is a price to be paid for independence. The lifestyle decisions your sister is making are not what I am used to.

I grew up with a cousin subject to seizures and this cousin, even as an adult, remains dependent on others just in case care is needed.

 

[nickbits]

Did she refuse the ambulance ride or go willingly? When I had a seizure and the paramedics arrived they had to take me by force. When the bill arrived I basically told them to f off and I didn't heard anything from them since. I did end up paying the bill a year later anyway though.

 

[nickbits]

There used to be a time when someone subject to seizures did not live an autonomous lifestyle separate from someone who could manage their seizure should it happen. These people were dependent on others just in case care was needed. There was also a time when people with such medical conditions knew better than to get pregnant and thoughtlessly pass those genes on to the next generation.

There is a price to be paid for independence. The lifestyle decisions your sister is making are not what I am used to.

I grew up with a cousin subject to seizures and this cousin, even as an adult, remains dependent on others just in case care is needed.

Yeah, they should just kill themselves.

 

[DCal430]

Yeah, they should just kill themselves.

My cousin who suffered massive brain damage to severe seizures, nearly died once. The doctors actually had the gual to suggest to my aunt they remove life support.

 

[Jeraden]

Earlier this summer, I was playing hockey in a league, and one of the players on the other team had a seizure. Someone called 911. A police officer arrived pretty quickly, but it was like 30 minutes until an ambulance showed up. Meanwhile, the guy had recovered, was walking around fine. The paramedics wanted to take him to the hospital, so he agreed and hopped in the back with them. I didn't think much of it a the time, other than seeing it totally didn't look like he needed an ambulance ride. One of his teammates could have driven him to the hospital and probably saved him like $3000.

 

[DCal430]

Earlier this summer, I was playing hockey in a league, and one of the players on the other team had a seizure. Someone called 911. A police officer arrived pretty quickly, but it was like 30 minutes until an ambulance showed up. Meanwhile, the guy had recovered, was walking around fine. The paramedics wanted to take him to the hospital, so he agreed and hopped in the back with them. I didn't think much of it a the time, other than seeing it totally didn't look like he needed an ambulance ride. One of his teammates could have driven him to the hospital and probably saved him like $3000.

WTF $3000 for the ride?

Paramedics here charge around $90

 

[nickbits]

WTF $3000 for the ride?

Paramedics here charge around $90

Mine was around $800. Major rip but since not many people use ambulances you have to spread the costs around.

 

[SS Trooper]

Thanks for the advice. This will most likely be futile unless I can get my hands on the bill. She's too proud to negotiate or try to get out of it, as she feels she should pay all the money. I'm just mad because she pays more for her health isnurance premium than they covered for the ride.

In all honesty, my parents will probably cover it. I just kind of feel helpless and want to take care of it.

For those who are wondering, my sister does have a neurological disorder that causes seizures. However this is under control, and she has not had one of "those" seizures in several years. What she is now going through is a seizure brought on by a severe drop in blood sugar (found out she was diabetic about a year ago) She is a very lucky person :\

She is still adapating to her diabetes, but has been in good health since June.

I can't say if she refused the ambulance or not, since I wasn't there. But I can say no one there could have spoke on her behalf so she probably didnt' have a choice. I was thinking about getting her a medical braclet that says "If I fell down and started shaking please make sure I dont bang my head, and call my husband/brother/parents."

 

[kyrax12]

good ole' American healthcare

 

[Gooberlx2]

A 5 to 10 minute seizure can be enough to cause massive brain damage and death. I have a relative is who basically mentally disabled now due to seizures. A also high school classmate who died from a massive seizure. IT is better to be safe than sorry. Thousands in the U.S die each year from seizures.

I took it as 5-10 mins to gather herself, post-ictal. Because, yeah, a 5-10 min actual seizure is bad news.

 

[nickbits]

My cousin who suffered massive brain damage to severe seizures, nearly died once. The doctors actually had the gual to suggest to my aunt they remove life support.

My niece (not blood related) died last year from her body giving out, possibility due to neurological damage from seizures but idk. Luckily I've only had one seizure and I don't plan on having another one but my MRI is still f'd.

 

[nickbits]

To OP: do what Gooberlx2 said.

 

[shortylickens]

I've heard of this, it's pretty common. Ambulances are a big for-profit scam. If someone calls an ambulance for you it's almost impossible to refuse it once they arrive, they will claim you aren't in your right mind and you could be endangering yourself if you refuse to ride, and basically threaten to have you arrested if you don't take the ride.

It's really pretty sad what this country is turning into.

Yeah ambulances are bullshit. Of course, these days everything medical related is a scam for easy profit, but ambulances have been that way for a long time.

Back in 1991 when I was sledding I landed on my back and got paralyzed for a few minutes. The trip cost 300 dollars and they didnt even break the speed limit. No drugs, no saline, no real work, just lifting up a stretcher.

 

[SS Trooper]

I took it as 5-10 mins to gather herself, post-ictal. Because, yeah, a 5-10 min actual seizure is bad news.

Yeah, sorry for the confusion.

Typically, the seizure lasts 10-30 seconds (probably less, but those moments seems to last forever) she is responsive within 1-2 minutes, and she can speak within 5.

Her appearance to someone not savy to the condition is pretty frightening.

Reality sucks I guess. Get insurance in case bad stuff happens, but when bad stuff happens insurance doesn't cover what you would like them to. Hopefully they come through on the ER bill, but I'm sure that will be another kick in the teeth.

 

[nickbits]

Thanks for the advice. This will most likely be futile unless I can get my hands on the bill. She's too proud to negotiate or try to get out of it, as she feels she should pay all the money. I'm just mad because she pays more for her health isnurance premium than they covered for the ride.

In all honesty, my parents will probably cover it. I just kind of feel helpless and want to take care of it.

For those who are wondering, my sister does have a neurological disorder that causes seizures. However this is under control, and she has not had one of "those" seizures in several years. What she is now going through is a seizure brought on by a severe drop in blood sugar (found out she was diabetic about a year ago) She is a very lucky person :\

She is still adapating to her diabetes, but has been in good health since June.

I can't say if she refused the ambulance or not, since I wasn't there. But I can say no one there could have spoke on her behalf so she probably didnt' have a choice. I was thinking about getting her a medical braclet that says "If I fell down and started shaking please make sure I dont bang my head, and call my husband/brother/parents."

I'm sure if you called the ambulance company, they'd be more than happy to let you pay her bill, although that may cause some friction between you and her.

A medical alert bracelet is not a bad idea but most likely the average person will freak out and call an ambulance well before checking for a bracelet. I do not wear one myself but I do have a medical ID card in my wallet and have the relevant box checked on my driver's license. Even so, I didn't bother with one until one of the meds I'm on said to have one.

Good luck to her.

 

[DCal430]

What is funny is out of the 1300 bill, probably 200 to 400 came from her actual cost, the rest was from paying for everyone else who didn't have insurance.

 

[shortylickens]

What is funny is out of the 1300 bill, probably 200 to 400 came from her actual cost, the rest was from paying for everyone else who didn't have insurance.

Which is why I dont think government insurance will fix anything. Now I have to pay for smokers and drinkers and others who dont take care of themselves.
Or..... government mandated private insurance. Same problem. I'm paying for other peoples stupidity and carelessness.

 

[sunzt]

What is funny is out of the 1300 bill, probably 200 to 400 came from her actual cost, the rest was from paying for everyone else who didn't have insurance.

...or they do it cause they can...