Something you should know about hospital bills!

[SteveSS]

I was in the hospital for a couple of weeks with kidney stones then and a subsequent infection last year. The bill would have been $400,000 without insurance. Luckily I had parts A and B from Medicare. That reduced it to $4,000. I heard if you asked you could get it reduced. My daughter the nurse filed the request and the answer came back today. My new bill is $0!!!!

We didn't get nasty or threatening, we just asked for a reduction.

Just letting you guys know.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I was in the hospital for a couple of weeks with kidney stones then and a subsequent infection infection last year. The bill would have been $400,000 without insurance. Luckily I had parts A and B from Medicare. That reduced it to $4,000. I heard if you asked you could get it reduced. My daughter the nurse filed the request and the answer came back today. My new bill is $0!!!!

We didn't get nasty or threatening, we just asked for a reduction.

Just letting you guys know.

Getting nasty would have likely had the opposite result... As Patrick Swayze said in Road House.... Be nice....

 

[Dave6T4]

A few years ago, I was in the hospital for 9 days, in a private room, after an operation for colon cancer. They took out my appendix and about a foot of exhaust pipe. It cost me $0.00.

 

[1967coronet]

Glad you got healed up.
Congrats on the bill reduction.
Have you ever considered a medicare supplement plan ? Not medicare advantage just a regular supplement.
They can save you a lot of money if you do end up in the hospital ect.
Most states have a free medicare counseling service, I'm sure your daughter will know about.

 

[hemi71x]

I was in the hospital for a couple of weeks with kidney stones then and a subsequent infection last year. The bill would have been $400,000 without insurance. Luckily I had parts A and B from Medicare. That reduced it to $4,000. I heard if you asked you could get it reduced. My daughter the nurse filed the request and the answer came back today. My new bill is $0!!!!

We didn't get nasty or threatening, we just asked for a reduction.

Just letting you guys know.

Looking back on my past medical "issues" prostate cancer surgery, and a heart valve replacement, i often wonder what the VA has paid out to civilian hospitals, where the work was performed?
I'm a military, Air Force veteran, so my health care doesn't cost me a penny, out of my pocketbook.
Glad that i did 7 years, active duty.

 

[zyzzyx]

I've heard that asking for a reduction works sometimes! I just have to wonder how Dr.'s and Hospitals
can charge such ridiculous numbers, and if you have insurance the number gets cut 90%. I have a plan
"F" supplement for my Wife an I and never have a copay or deductible but I'm a Chicken! I gladly pay
the premiums every month so if something terrible goes wrong, I don't have to dip into my savings.

 

[1967coronet]

I've heard that asking for a reduction works sometimes! I just have to wonder how Dr.'s and Hospitals
can charge such ridiculous numbers, and if you have insurance the number gets cut 90%. I have a plan
"F" supplement for my Wife an I and never have a copay or deductible but I'm a Chicken! I gladly pay
the premiums every month so if something terrible goes wrong, I don't have to dip into my savings.

My wife is on F also, 2 years ago when I signed up F was gone. If you had it you can keep it forever but no new sign-ups.
I went with G , it's pretty darn close to F as far as bennies.

 

[stage3]

The bill would have been $400,000 without insurance. Luckily I had parts A and B from Medicare. That reduced it to $4,000.

this is messed up on so many levels...

 

[SteveSS]

Since then I have signed up for part C. That should help a lot if I have to go back.

 

[SteveSS]

Since then I have signed up for part C. That should help a lot if I have to go back.

 

[cr8crshr]

How many respondents have only Medicare and nothing else? If you were self-employed, you most likely do not have any other medical coverage say from an employer after retirement. I find it somewhat concerning that that is the only coverage one has...Medicare...and nothing else! As a disabled Veteran, Military Retiree, and having Medicare, I pay absolutely zero for medical services rendered. I can use the VA which is my last resort, and use my Tricare for Life coverage along with Medicare, to seek medical attention outside the VA and in local medical facilities. I am fortunate to be able to get all the health care I require without it costing me extortionate amounts for those services. I do feel for those who do not have additional coverage other than Medicare...cr8crshr/Bill

 

[slepr1]

Kidney stones are no joke. Had them 3x in my life. Passed 2, the third had to get lasered. Their is only one way to get the laser up into the kidney...

You don't want that, trust me!

 

[Matthew Miller]

Looking back on my past medical "issues" prostate cancer surgery, and a heart valve replacement, i often wonder what the VA has paid out to civilian hospitals, where the work was performed?
I'm a military, Air Force veteran, so my health care doesn't cost me a penny, out of my pocketbook.
Glad that i did 7 years, active duty.

Question for you
How do you get medical coverage with only 7 years active Duty? Did you retire from the reserves?
I thought you had to be retired to get coverage from the VA?
I did 4 years active duty and a few years in the reserves. I got out as an O-3 and did a combat tour on active duty.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Question for you
How do you get medical coverage with only 7 years active Duty? Did you retire from the reserves?
I thought you had to be retired to get coverage from the VA?
I did 4 years active duty and a few years in the reserves. I got out as an O-3 and did a combat tour on active duty.

Thanks,
Matt

You are eligible, Go talk to the VA... I used the VA a my primary medical from the time I was forty till I was covered by Medicare...

 

[cr8crshr]

Question for you
How do you get medical coverage with only 7 years active Duty? Did you retire from the reserves?
I thought you had to be retired to get coverage from the VA?
I did 4 years active duty and a few years in the reserves. I got out as an O-3 and did a combat tour on active duty.

Thanks,
Matt

The VA is for all who have served regardless if only for 4 years and then some reserves time. Part of the contract you signed when entering. If you have some disabilities due to that service time, then get your butt over to the VA and get rated and checked out. The higher you are rated the more coverage is assigned. You need to make the gate of 50% for free VA health care. Otherwise, a co-pay will be applied to any treatment given if you are rated below that 50%. I'm surprised as an O-3 you didn't get an explanation at your exit brief when you left AD. And a Combat tour to boot!!! cr8crshr/Bill

 

[Jesse6869]

Also what a lot of people don’t know is there’s a thing called (MFAP) medical financial assistant program. That you can file for help.

 

[Hey-O]

I'm fortunate, that I really don't pay for medical expenses, but that's not my point. I do receive statements, that state that the hospital would ask for, say $1,000, but accepted $75.00. Hospitals are a joke. An MRI in Europe cost $300.00 or $400.00, here, it's well over a $1000.00. Nonprofit hospitals save billions every year in federal, state and local taxes. But they are required to spend some of their money to provide what the government calls "community benefit." There's a set percentage rate that most never meet and never will, if not forced. Good for you!!

 

[1967coronet]

When are kids arrived in the 70s they both were born at our local county hospital.
We had no medical insurance at the time so we made monthly payments for each.

I would have to ask my wife but I recall both were aprox $1,600 each.
For sure under $2,000.
Now health coverage coats before medicare age is close to that per month.
Funny in a way, just recalled paying by the month for our kids. Lol.