Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the big deal. I paid half upfront for carpet installation, I paid 24% upfront for my deck remodel.

They are just trying to cut down on people skipping out on their bill and having to chase down their money.
It's not that big of a deal.

Have you actually read the pp?

Yes, I did.

So you think that stiff arming patients into making payments that they do not owe is the way to go? Which hospital do you work for?

If you are the only payer, like a carpet install, sure. But in this case, someone else might be the payer. Do not pay until you are sure. Just makes sense, since that is the arrangement with insurance, whom we pay dutifully each month, to do this.

Inova Alexandria tried this nearly six years ago when I had my first child. My insurance company told me to do whatever I could to not pay, because if I overpaid anyone, I would not get the money back - ever. My son was born two weeks into the year, so it was a toss up on who would get the deductible.

Also, I had to go Children's this year for an outpatient procedure for my son in one of their clinics. They asked for $25 before the procedure. That $25 has not been applied to ANY of the bills I received. It isn't worth my time to track it down.

Don't pay up front if you are insured. Insist that you will pay once you receive your EOB, especially if you are close to your OOP limit, or you haven't paid your deductible and will be billed by several parties. You will not get any of your money back.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the big deal. I paid half upfront for carpet installation, I paid 24% upfront for my deck remodel.

They are just trying to cut down on people skipping out on their bill and having to chase down their money.
It's not that big of a deal.

Have you actually read the pp?

Yes, I did.

So you think that stiff arming patients into making payments that they do not owe is the way to go? Which hospital do you work for?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the big deal. I paid half upfront for carpet installation, I paid 24% upfront for my deck remodel.

They are just trying to cut down on people skipping out on their bill and having to chase down their money.
It's not that big of a deal.

Have you actually read the pp?

Yes, I did.

Op here. I just did another check of my eobs and see I got suckered into paying another doctor in advance for over $100. I owed him zero. I feel like an idiot.

Anonymous wrote:I don't get the big deal. I paid half upfront for carpet installation, I paid 24% upfront for my deck remodel.

They are just trying to cut down on people skipping out on their bill and having to chase down their money.
It's not that big of a deal.

Have you actually read the pp?

Anonymous wrote:Inova Fairfax tried to do something like that to me last December, but in the ER. I was in the ER with cardiac issues -- my heart had stopped and I had been revived. The check in person was telling me how much I was going to have to pay...only I knew I had paid the maximum out of pocket. I explained that too her, and she started arguing, telling me I had to pay my 20%.

I was getting agitated...and the ER nurse told her to leave. FWIW, the total bill for my time at Inova was about 125K; I was responsible for $3.25

Wow op. So sorry you had to go through this.

Anonymous wrote:Inova Fairfax tried to do something like that to me last December, but in the ER. I was in the ER with cardiac issues -- my heart had stopped and I had been revived. The check in person was telling me how much I was going to have to pay...only I knew I had paid the maximum out of pocket. I explained that too her, and she started arguing, telling me I had to pay my 20%.

I was getting agitated...and the ER nurse told her to leave. FWIW, the total bill for my time at Inova was about 125K; I was responsible for $3.25

Ugh. That is reprehensible. Sorry you went through that especially as you were ill at the time. Atrocious that a check in rep would argue with someone in the midst of a heart situation. Do they get commission?

Inova Fairfax tried to do something like that to me last December, but in the ER. I was in the ER with cardiac issues -- my heart had stopped and I had been revived. The check in person was telling me how much I was going to have to pay...only I knew I had paid the maximum out of pocket. I explained that too her, and she started arguing, telling me I had to pay my 20%.

I was getting agitated...and the ER nurse told her to leave. FWIW, the total bill for my time at Inova was about 125K; I was responsible for $3.25

I had a rough year medically last year and have spent a lot of time dealing with medical bills. Overall, I dealt with four different hospital stays, two surgeries, two hospitals and three physicians' groups. The bills still are being sorted out more than a year later, but I've learned a lot about how complicated it is and how poorly the whole process is coordinated.

If you think there's a chance of hitting your out-of-pocket limit, always check with the insurance company before paying. I paid nearly $1700 up front for pretty major surgery (great credit and had already sailed past my deductible), and the insurance company didn't count it toward my out-of-pocket limit because the hospital didn't tell them about it (standard). We also promptly paid all medical bills as they arrived, regardless of date of service, even though the out-of-pocket limits are calculated by date of service.

As a result, I have now spent hours upon hours with spreadsheets and on the phone, trying to sort out all of the bills. It still is happening more than a year after one surgery and 18 months after another major issue, but the idea that I'm getting overcharged drives me nuts. I've gotten about $2000 back and am in the process of figuring out whether I still owe a $600 bill that I just received.

The insurance company told me that I should not pay any medical bills unless they have processed them first. I also now call the the hospital and/or physicians' group plus the insurance company whenever I get a medical bill to determine what I actually owe. The date of service really matters, and the insurer often will know what you owe well before the health care provider gets around to billing you.

It may sound crazy, but I otherwise would have paid a few thousand dollars more than I owed last year, and nothing protects you from that unless you are really careful.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not understanding how hospitals, doc offices, etc., are sharing systems with insurance to see my private deductible information.

They submit the procedure for preapproval before you go in. The insurance company checks it againt your deductible and your policy and tells the provider what you should pay and what they will pay. No big deal.

This is standard. I don't see what the problem is

I don't get the big deal. I paid half upfront for carpet installation, I paid 24% upfront for my deck remodel.

They are just trying to cut down on people skipping out on their bill and having to chase down their money.
It's not that big of a deal.

My OB did this. My insurance company had never heard of a dr doing this before. I paid half of what they wanted. Of course, my OB submitted his paperwork to insurance after the others (hospital, anesthiologist). This meant I owed my deductible to others but it had already been met by the time the OB's stuff went to insurance. OB eventually sent me a check but it took a long time. I also had to come up with my $2500 deductible while the OB had $1250 of my money.

Oh yeah- the OB's reasoning was that I would be overwhelmed by caring for a newborn and would forget to pay. Really??

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not understanding how hospitals, doc offices, etc., are sharing systems with insurance to see my private deductible information.

They make you pre register before you go in for non emergency procedures. Most every doctor's office gets all the insurance info when you make an appt.

Sure, I know they have the info. I have asked my docs if we have reached child deductible, DH deductible, whole family deductible as of which date during the year, because they have that info right in front of them and it's easier than calling the insurance. I'm just not understanding how they have all that info in the first place. Sure they should know copays having to do with each insurance, but for them to know I have a $1000 deductible and that I have used $678 as of June 1st or whatever, on a variety of different other doctors and hospital services.

They should really be sorting it with insurance and if insurance pays 0 because I haven't met my deductible, then they bill me. They don't need to know the why/wherefores, much less EXACTLY how much my insurance has paid to random other people so far...

You authorize them and your insurance company to share that information when you request that they bill your insurance.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not understanding how hospitals, doc offices, etc., are sharing systems with insurance to see my private deductible information.

They make you pre register before you go in for non emergency procedures. Most every doctor's office gets all the insurance info when you make an appt.

Sure, I know they have the info. I have asked my docs if we have reached child deductible, DH deductible, whole family deductible as of which date during the year, because they have that info right in front of them and it's easier than calling the insurance. I'm just not understanding how they have all that info in the first place. Sure they should know copays having to do with each insurance, but for them to know I have a $1000 deductible and that I have used $678 as of June 1st or whatever, on a variety of different other doctors and hospital services.

They should really be sorting it with insurance and if insurance pays 0 because I haven't met my deductible, then they bill me. They don't need to know the why/wherefores, much less EXACTLY how much my insurance has paid to random other people so far...