During my pregnancy, we were self pay due the fact that maternity coverage SUCKS in Texas. Well, today I got the final statement from the hospital. It goes as follows:
Account Summary
Total Charges: $13,540.00
Adjustments: $10,690.00
Paid by Insurance: $0.00
Already Paid by Patient: $2,100
Amount you owe now: $750
I know that as a self pay patient, you are given a discount, but come on! Really? A difference of $10,690. I am not complaining. I am very grateful that I was given that discount, but I find it so hard to believe that it is necessary to charge EVERYONE that has insurance $13,000. No wonder our health care system is so screwed up. I am so confused. Lets just say, you have health insurance through your employer, and your insurance company pays 80%, and you pay 20%, you would essentially pay out of pocket the same amount that I paid as self pay, but the insurance company would still pay over $10,000. My question is, why even bother to have insurance? Does this make any sense? (It is almost midnight, and I am a little delirious.) Please, help me figure this one out...it's a head scratcher.
9 comments:
There is no question that the system is so messed up!I too paid cash for Bailey and I paid the hospital $1500 before I went home. I didn't pay another dime and never even saw a bill, it was fantastic! The anesthesiologist, on the other hand, wanted $2500. When we called and requested an itemized statement the girl said, "oh we will take $1500 off, just send us $1000." I feel sorry for the poor suckers who just write the checks without asking questions! None of it makes sense!
Okay --that discount is INSANE--although I am glad you got it:) Did you negotiate that self-pay discount before hand or they just gave it to you? And I am guessing those are only the hospital fees....that you paid your Doc. fees seperate or not? I am delivering at a birth center self- pay also and all I get is 20% discount for paying by the 20th week. Looks like my birth not even in a hospital will cost more than you have to pay! Also--we are self- insured just not with maternity and they told told me we will have to pay like $120 MORE a month just to add on this baby:( AAAAHHHHHH!!!!
What the???? I don't even want to see what my ER bill is going to be. You are exactly right. That is what is wrong with the system, we are just blindly paying what we are told and not, taking the time to figure out what things mean. I had a friend that did medical billing from home for a while. She said it was such a blessing when she had her kids cause, she knew the codes and knew if they were ripping her off. She called and disputed on almost every bill. Rediculus!!!
SHUT UP! You only paid $2850 to the hospital to have a baby?! ARE YOU JOKING?! For real ... why am I paying $600/month for insurance ... I'll still pay my $2500 out of pocket when I have my next baby. Unreal. I'm seriously tempted to dump the insurance.
How much did your doctor charge? Anethesiologist? Will you outline those for me? Like ... bottom line, what it cost. I figured it would have been a bottom line of $15K+ minimum. If everything went smoothly. And nothing goes smoothly for me, medically, ever.
I feel bad Haley! We are very lucky that Jeremy's job has such great insurance. It is very dif here! I think we paid about 300.00 bucks to have Jackson. I feel for you guys. I like the T- shirt, but I am with you that is crazy for a T!
HALEY!!!!! I am soooooo happy for you. What a blessing! All that worrying for nothing.
I am a bot grateful for our crappy healthcare as I would have had to pay $128,692.00 for Jack's month in the PICU including everything from diapers to surgery....
and we only paid $6000.00
So THAT was kinda nice, but I do see what you mean. Right now, for some reason, every statement I get from Regence Blue Cross is only showing that they cover like, 10%. Instead of their usual 80. It's like like ran a little low on money, so they thought "Hey, we'll just cut back on giving the Trent's money..."
AMEN sister!
What that is CRAZY!! I paid more than that and I have insurance.
Yeah for you not having to pay as much as you feared!
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