tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2176805307442675187.post8630645572985327480..comments2024-01-31T10:56:24.961-06:00Comments on Brit Gal in the USA: Patient Abuse!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09542425639950850366noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2176805307442675187.post-72703473103964167612008-03-08T04:52:00.000-06:002008-03-08T04:52:00.000-06:00That is a ridiculous increase. Good on you for cha...That is a ridiculous increase. Good on you for challenging them!Petahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05945401765959847621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2176805307442675187.post-81432080391939961822008-03-08T01:35:00.000-06:002008-03-08T01:35:00.000-06:00shaking my head, but not at all surprised dear Bri...shaking my head, but not at all surprised dear Brit pal.<BR/><BR/>In the ten years I've lived Stateside I've had to fight to get treatment for my eldest son who was born with a cleft lip and palate and I do have medical insurance. When my son needed a second bone graft to fix his hard palate in his mouth because sadly the first one failed, medical insurance had to be contacted for pre-approval, where it was promptly stamped "denied" and returned. When I questioned this, they told me that they didn't cover cosmetic surgery. When I explained that it was in fact re-constructive surgery, they still denied it 'cause of course, one can go through life with a gaping hole in the roof of their mouth!! Cosmetic? What a joke. I fought and won but it literally took months to get the surgery covered, not to mention put our son through the ordeal of delaying his treatment.<BR/><BR/>The NHS isn't perfect, but by golly it's there as safety net. In my dealings with other parents at Children's Hospital (Seattle and Oakland, CA), I realise we are one of the 'lucky' ones. To get into such financial straits with one's medical bills that you even lose your house is sadly a fact of life for some families.<BR/><BR/>Oh and the billing thing? Classic. On a different surgery for my son, I decided to just go ahead and pay the out of pocket expenses, I got my bill itemised and was invoiced, so imagine my delight when insurance finally decided to cough up and some months down the line I saw the ACTUAL $ amount that the hospital submitted, at least 300% (no, that is not a typo!) LESS than what they were going to charge me!! The whole system is flawed! The assumption that the "insured" somehow help to subsidize the "uninsured" is in fact, the other way around!!!<BR/><BR/>There.. do you think you might just have found my Achilles Heel with this post? LOL!<BR/><BR/>Good luck on the BBB thing!fionahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12186747798369796772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2176805307442675187.post-92144215527962193832008-03-07T13:49:00.000-06:002008-03-07T13:49:00.000-06:00Thank you for standing up for yourself! I wonder h...Thank you for standing up for yourself! <BR/>I wonder how many folk who don't stand up for themselves have been affected.Vickiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15581178162502696838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2176805307442675187.post-80811594235747002582008-03-07T13:21:00.000-06:002008-03-07T13:21:00.000-06:00Good for you Sarah...there is no sense in them get...Good for you Sarah...there is no sense in them getting away with that...it is called price gouging in my opinion and that is supposed to be against the law!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2176805307442675187.post-51967259809842837382008-03-07T03:30:00.000-06:002008-03-07T03:30:00.000-06:00Good Morning Sarah,Just thougth I would drop by an...Good Morning Sarah,<BR/>Just thougth I would drop by and check in with you. Wow, I can't beleive the Lab would do this to you and not tell you or anyone else of the price increase. I tell ya, the Government has things so messed up these days. It's so hard for anyone to survive these days. I'm glad you were able to get it resolved tho. I would have done the same thing you did as well. Did yall get any Snow on Tuesday or yesterday? We got just a tad bit on Tuesday and I have a picture of what we got on my post today. They are saying we are to get 4 to 8 inches of Snow today and tonight. As of right now, we have NOTHING. I am so disappointed that I could just cry. I will be moving this weekend and won't be able to post or visit until after Monday when they hook our Cable & Internet up at the other house. I will get back to posting and visiting just as soon as I can tho. Take care my friend and have a great day/weekend. May God Bless You and Yours.<BR/><BR/>Love & Hugs,<BR/>Karen H.Karen H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02296807307750567830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2176805307442675187.post-70892179635941824002008-03-07T00:15:00.000-06:002008-03-07T00:15:00.000-06:00Hi Katrina...I LOVE that you did this and it was l...Hi Katrina...I LOVE that you did this and it was legal LOL! Even though I got off this, no way I am letting it go, they made me too mad as well!<BR/><BR/>So I guess things aren't much better with the medical system 'down under' either! Governments need to step in and impose some sort of control on costs, it's just getting crazyAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09542425639950850366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2176805307442675187.post-83237364355507447612008-03-07T00:06:00.000-06:002008-03-07T00:06:00.000-06:00Hi again Sarah! So sorry to hear about this. I hav...Hi again Sarah! So sorry to hear about this. I have had a similar experience once with an anesthetist bill. I refused to pay (because of a ridiculous price) and after a long process I basically told them I would pay them $1 a week (which a debt company said is legal and as long as I am paying something it would be fine) OR I offered to go to jail (haha not likely - just expressed to them how passionate I was about this!!). But it was enough of a threat and somehow the bill just disappeared. Just ludicrous!!<BR/><BR/>Anyway, I have fixed up your link on my blog (I hope).Katrina Chambershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01639913699870506866noreply@blogger.com