Mastodawn

This happened to us early in Rebecca’s illness: the hospital we took her to was in network (despite us being out of state), but the radiology team at that hospital was an independent group that was out of network and accepted no insurance, so no costs were reduced. Anesthesiologists apparently do the same, a lot.

It’s beyond absurd, it’s grotesque, which I admit makes it fully of a piece with the rest of the US “health care system”.

https://mastodon.world/@Litzz11/109778170911779065

Litzz11 (@[email protected])

This is absurd. Woman goes into early labor, goes to an in-network hospital, but the doctors worked for an out of network hospital? So the parents are on the hook for $12K? RIDICULOUS. Please shut up forever about how cool it is to "shop for your healthcare" LITERALLY NO ONE WANTS TO DO THAT. This is "shopping for your healthcare": being wheeled into the ER and having to check to make sure EVERY PERSON is in your network. Completely impractical and ridiculous. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/01/30/1151778684/a-baby-spent-36-days-at-an-in-network-hospital-why-did-her-parents-get-a-huge-bi

Mastodon

@Meyerweb I hate this for everyone who has to go through it. Awful.

elle mundy Jan 30, 2023

@Meyerweb healthcare chaos

DanielRigal Jan 30, 2023

@exchgr @Meyerweb I wouldn't describe the US healthcare system as chaos. From what I've heard of it, it is extremely well organised. That's organised as in organised crime.

elle mundy Jan 30, 2023

@DanielRigal @Meyerweb it’s only chaos from the end user’s perspective 😅

smells of bikes Jan 30, 2023

@Meyerweb this is something that I don't think is publicized enough. Insurance companies impose the same complicated processes and delays on medical practices as they do on us consumers, and while we have reason to persist, med offices get paid either way, so they have a huge incentive to refuse to take insurance.

LadyUnicornEJG Jan 30, 2023

@Meyerweb it's unfortunately common for the specialists in the hospital to be separate from the hospital. It's absurd.

Dan Sinker Jan 30, 2023

@Meyerweb it's a fucking horror that reveals itself at our hardest momenets.

Maisie Pubblechook, Esq.Jan 30, 2023

@Meyerweb IIRC private equity firms have bought out many medical practices and taken them out-of-network to perpetrate exactly this kind of grift. Another reason we need to start taxing away excess wealth.

Martha Howell Jan 30, 2023

@Meyerweb My son was in a major accident out of state and his health insurance initially refused to pay the first hospital he was taken to because it didn't have an ER agreement with them, despite the fact that he was medflighted out of there and the next closest hospital was another 30 miles. (Luckily, he fully recovered.) They admitted they do this every time, and expect the insured to argue or pay.

mkdukin Jan 30, 2023

@Meyerweb Hospitals can outsource almost all aspects of business. Phlebotomy, pharmacy, social work, administration (people that visit your room for data), doctors etc. Nurses, even if contract are, for now, safe to interact with.

Chris Belanger has moved Jan 30, 2023

@Meyerweb Out eldest was in the only NICU in the state for the first two months of his life. The hospital was in network, not a single neonatal specialist was. We're pretty well off for Maine and it nearly sunk us - I'm still dealing with the implications nearly a decade later.

andybryant Jan 30, 2023

I'm lost for words at how this sort of thing continues to happen in the US & how nothing can be done to rebalance the system.

I used to aspire to live in the US. No longer. Very happy to live & work in Europe...

Quiquaequod Jan 30, 2023

@Meyerweb it should be illegal for insurance companies to penalize consumers for this situation, and there should also be much higher barriers to “going private” for doctors- pick a lane, either you’re a boutique or a corporate unit. You are not a wholly owned subsidiary nor should you be the exclusive option for care.

Ted Garrison Jan 30, 2023

@Meyerweb Agreed. Completely bullshit practice. I go to the hospital. I don't go to the anesthesiologist or radiology group. I want one damn bill from the hospital. They can pay everyone else.

Andrew O'Brien Jan 30, 2023

@Meyerweb I just signed up for an HMO plan on my state's exchange (because that's what I could afford) and this terrifies me. Would some kind of supplemental insurance at least put a cap on this?

I mean, in lieu of burning down the entire healthcare system and starting over with the idea that healthcare without bankruptcy is a fundamental right...

Mieszko Ślusarczyk Jan 30, 2023

@Meyerweb @zak American Healthcare system as a whole is absurd

Biz5th Jan 30, 2023

I used to work with a guy who described the Radiologists, Anesthesiologists, Pathologists, and Emergency Room docs who did this as RAPERs.

Alex Jan 30, 2023

@Meyerweb @siracusa why do you put up with any of this?! Healthcare should be free in order to have a healthy, functioning society. You simply cannot live under the fear of constant bankruptcy for any sort accident that could turn it into a hospital visit.

I'm constantly amazed at the lack of any social safety net in the US: healthcare, sick leave (working when sick is absurd), mandated vacation days (people need to rest), paid maternity leave etc.

This is not a healthy society!

Paul Chernoff Jan 31, 2023

@Meyerweb Until we have a better medical system states should start requiring anyone who works on hospital property must accept the insurance that is accepted by the hospital itself.

Jim Luther Jan 31, 2023

@Meyerweb @siracusa NPR ran a story today explaining current laws that cover this.

The hospital treating her baby was in-network, but another hospital charged her : Shots - Health News - https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/01/30/1151778684/a-baby-spent-36-days-at-an-in-network-hospital-why-did-her-parents-get-a-huge-bi

bobrk Jan 31, 2023

@Meyerweb @anildash my wife had a bunch of surprise bills for anesthesiology and we ignored them. Then, due to a new law in California, they were literally dismissed.

Gavan Shanley Jan 31, 2023

@Meyerweb it’s the “accept d no insurance” which is the most baffling

E. Eggert 👉@[email protected]Jan 31, 2023

@Meyerweb @tmtrains I’m so thankful that my parents never had to worry about my Asthma treatment, which took nine years and many trips to a doctor in another German state. I didn’t realize at the time that this was a huge privilege. Because paying (more than insurance payments) for health care is cruel.

LynneJones Jan 31, 2023

@Meyerweb Coming to the UK…

Tim Feb 1, 2023

@Meyerweb I keep this Reddit post bookmarked in case I, or anyone I know, is up against medical bills that may break them financially.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/jh6ymz/comment/g9xrau0/?context=3

- Call billing office asking for programs for people that can’t afford the medical expense, or a sliding scale fee.

- Didn’t work? Call again in a week, ask the same questions. Speak to a manager if needed.

- Last resort, let it go to collections and end up paying pennies on the dollar or nothing at all. This will affect your credit

[Serious] Americans who have been treated in hospital for covid19, how much did they charge you? What differences are there if you end up in icu? Also how do you see your health insurance changing with the affects to your body post-covid?

Posted in r/AskReddit by u/AnnoiaErris • 52,268 points and 8,953 comments

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