BeepCouple left with $200k bill after baby born in US
TigerAceFrom what I’ve heard from Americans working in hospitals is that this bill is what the hospital writes but they only charge a small amount and declare the rest at their own insurance as a loss. So the couple would end up with a bill of a few hundred dollars, nothing more. This is common practice, is what those people told me. I don’t know if this is the case in every state though. But it sure is one weird fucked up system.
I’ve also read stories from people who have negotiated how much of their bill they paid. Fucked up indeed.
Our first baby was born 5 weeks early and had to spend about 3 weeks in the NICU before we could take him home. Nothing major, just monitoring and a careful feeding regimen to make sure he would make it, as sensitive as they are when born that early.
My wife had to pay $30 for the 3 days she rented a bed in the maternity ward ($10/day). That was our total bill.
Second child we paid nothing.
And we have people in Canada that want to go to the American system.
Is made me realize there are a lot of people who will vote against their own interests as long as their neighbors can’t possibly get undue benefit.
And we have people in Canada that want to go to the American system.
Well, they can fuck right off to Florida, please.
Is that a legitimate business strategy?
I just send my customer a bill for a ridiculous amount, then my customer negotiates for something significantly less, and I can write off the difference?
There must be more to this. It’s too good to be true.
It is for the people who are getting paid, which is the insurance companies.
If it wasn’t, it wouldnt be the awful dystopian norm for the past 40 years here this stupid country.
Insurance companies make deals with hospitals along the lines of “We’ll pay 1k for this procedure which should cost 300 bucks, or 40% of your standard rates, whichever is lower.” So the standard rate becomes 1600.
Then the insurance company will require a 40% “copay” based on the standard rates, and the patient ends up paying the $1000 and the insurance company doesn’t pay shit despite collecting hundreds a month in premiums.
I discovered years ago that hospital visits can cost less if you tell them you don’t have insurance.
And this is embraced because profit is capped to a percentage of payouts