Just some advice from a medical business administrator. I work for a private practice, but know the tricks hospitals, insurance agencies and office managers use.
https://imgur.com/gallery/BoKLnq0
For the effed-up US system, anyway.
In case the above goes away:
Do you often receive bills claiming you owe a hospital tens of thousands of dollars?
Never, EVER, assume you owe that. This is a tactic used by hospitals to try to have patients overpay them.
Here’s the best way I can explain it: Hospitals are allowed to say that the cost of using a needle to draw blood is $400 a pop. Not only is this untrue, but insurance companies say the maximum allowable amount is more like $10. So, a hospital can charge insurance $400 and they say ‘fuck that, the real price is $10’ insurance usually will pay $8 and then the remaining $2 is adjusted off. Now if you don’t have insurance, there is no agency performing the checks and balances to ensure you aren’t overpaying. Hospitals are not allowed to charge ANYONE above the maximum allowable amount, but for non-insured patients they will send a bill for all their jacked up prices and most people have no idea that this is not the amount they truly owe.
So what should you do? First, ask to speak with financial aid at the hospital. Usually, they will bring your bill down by 75% simply by having a conversation with them and filling out one form. The hospital billing department will not tell you about this. See financial aid before you leave the hospital. They can often find charitable organizations that pay medical bills, especially in cancer cases, they can retroactively procure you Medicaid or Medicare. They can get you the maximum discount for your bill. Second, mention you are aware of the laws for maximum allowable amounts. Third, if you are uninsured pre-scheduled surgery, ask to speak with the financial advisor of the surgeon’s office. Usually the surgeon has a relationship with a hospital and anesthesiologist that will provide you with an all-inclusive one-time payment covering the surgery, anesthesia and hospital bills. If the office manager refuses to speak with you, ask to speak with the doctor directly.
9/10 doctors have no idea about their billing processes and I guarantee you that most are willing to work with you. For instance, my doctor only requires a payment of $1 a month to ensure a patient’s account will not go to collections. He gives discounts to patients that have no insurance to the tune of 75% sometimes. And most of the time, the patient told him they can’t pay and the doctor tells me and we work out a payment plan this works and is discounted.
Basically, just know your rights. Don’t be afraid to speak up and mention to the doctor your financial concerns. Appeal any insurance payment decision you feel is unjust. And please, please appeal any insurance denial you receive. I can’t tell you how many times insurance denied a claim, simply because they didn’t have recent medical records or a wrong DX code. Don’t mistake an EOB (explanation of benefits) for a bill. Call your doctor’s office and make sure prior authorizations (PAs) are made before radiology testing and surgery. If you have a deductible YOU do not have to pay it before having surgery. If an office manager tries to make you, simply explain you will wait until the claim has been filed before paying. Say you’d be happy to put some money down, but you’re not comfortable paying your full deductible without knowing if you truly owe the entire amount for the procedure. And lastly if you need any help, like disputing a bill, filing an appeal, trying to understand an explanation of benefits, etc. don’t hesitate to message me. I’ll do all I can to help. Front page edit: Wow was not expecting this to go anywhere. Glad I could help spread information to you guys. I’m hoping to work my way up to a hospital administrator and put an end to this type of billing, designed to scare people and confuse those, who don’t understand EOBs or allowable amounts. Another tip, if you have ACA insurance and your insurance keeps rejecting claims, it may be because you have not assigned a primary care provider to your plan. Some require a PCP for hospital bills to be covered.
Farewell Badger, by Tesa Silvestre
http://www.dailygood.org/story/2114/farewell-badger-tesa-silvestre/
“It tells the story of an old Badger who knows he will be dying soon, and worries about how his friends Mole, Frog, Fox, and Rabbit will cope with his departure after he goes down “the Long Tunnel.” The rest of this beautifully illustrated book revolves around the touching and creative ways in which Badger’s friends end up cherishing his legacy, and working through their loss.”
Experiencing Musical “Chills”
https://www.neatorama.com/2019/04/22/Experiencing-Musical-Chills/
There are parts of some songs that give me goosebumps, or get me choked up.
Everything is Alive - excellent podcast
https://www.everythingisalive.com/
An “unscripted” interview show, in which all of the subjects are inanimate objects.