Why US hospital bills are so high....

[peteg59]

Kind of a long video but interesting and totally 100% accurate. Is it too late for reasonable costs again? Yes...

 

[Phu Cat]

Just got off the phone today with the billing department for the hospital that did my heart bypass due to being charged for two blood transfusions I never received. The total bill was just a little under $578,000 for 24 days (there were complications) for which the insurance company paid $64,000 which makes me question the hospitals billing practices.

If I hadn't had Medicare, would the hospital have accepted the $64,000 to satisfy my bill from me?

I also owe $1749 the insurance won't cover. If I figured right, that means medicare paid 99.7% of my bill.

PC

 

[bikerbillone]

Interesting video, but not surprising. I notice there was no mention of the health care provided to those that do not pay, somebody pays for that as well.

 

[nucseal]

Just got off the phone today with the billing department for the hospital that did my heart bypass due to being charged for two blood transfusions I never received. The total bill was just a little under $578,000 for 24 days (there were complications) for which the insurance company paid $64,000 which makes me question the hospitals billing practices.

If I hadn't had Medicare, would the hospital have accepted the $64,000 to satisfy my bill from me?

I also owe $1749 the insurance won't cover. If I figured right, that means medicare paid 99.7% of my bill.

PC

With the procedure codes, insurance and medicare will pay only on the hospital participation agreed amount. Usually $0.35 to $0.50 for insurance and medicare is $0.20 to $0.25 on the dollar. Only self pays, pay the full amounts but usually hospital steeply discount them as well.

Since medicare and insurance company participated with your hospital, they have no choice but to accept the agreed amount and your on hock for the co-pay.

 

[Phu Cat]

Of course I'm going to balk when they ask for the whole $1700 telling them I can't pay that much. I could, but if they're willing to settle for less why pay the whole amount? Gonna start out at $800 and see what they respond with.

PC

 

[1dn5up]

Hay Jim , what ever the outcome is , it’s good to see that your still with us :clapping: