Seriously, is there ever going to be a time when I will *save money* without accruing debt?

[angelchicken]

I just got home to a bill from Northwestern Memorial Hospital for over half of the amount of my Emergency Room bill.

Those of you who have been to the emergency room know that this is a significant amount.

Now, before the freakout mentioned in the cut tag I have to ask:

Is this normal?

I mean, really? With insurance companies, do they really not pay for over half of your ER services? Because if so then WHY AM I PAYING THEM OUT OF EVERY CHECK???

Ahem.

Between this sudden expense, having to pay rent plus $250 to extend my lease and my upcoming probable one month security plus first months rent (wherever I may go) I am so broke I can hardly stand it.

I AM SO FUCKING OVER YOU, MONO!

Without mono I would have saved SO MUCH because no ER bill and no rent extension.

Damn it.

I would probably feel better if I had a link to Rhianna's "Umbrella", though.

I've heard it three times today (on rotation in the store) and I'm not a wee bit obsessed.

Comments

[nutmeg3.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a lot, but it may be that it's not an in-network hospital. Also, insurance companies often set what they consider a reasonable cap on what things should cost, and then they won't pay anything above that. It sucks, and you have all my sympathy.

[angelchicken.livejournal.com]

See, but all of my regular doctors are through Northwestern Memorial Physicians Group so it would make sense the *freaking hospital* is in the network. Also, any insurance that didn't have NMH in it's network in Chicago would probably fold as it practically has a monopoly in Chicago's overall health.

The cap, though, I should look into. Though $1223.65 is kind of a specific amount, you know?

I'll still call, but I'll try not to freak out.

[the-lbb.livejournal.com]

Was it an actual bill, or was it more of a statement, that said-cost: xxxxx, Amount paid by Chicken Insurance: yyyyy, Amount unpaid, zzzzz?

I've gotten those,and it wasn't exactly a bill, and it just takes a long time for the hospital & insurance company to fight it out. This happened both when & to both the LBC & I went to the ER, with different insurance plans. Most insurance plans have a an ER co-pay, of like $50. They tried to tell us that the LBC's ambulance was out of network (when it was the one that 911 sent to our home, to take him to the nearest ER), but we didn't have to pay it, in the end.

What kind of insurance do you have? An HMO, PPO, etc? (It should say on your card) Is there a deductible?

And that Umbrella song gets stuck in your head. I had to buy an umbrella for a gift recently, and every mention of it shopping for one, wrapping one, etc ended in, "ella, ella, ella".

Have you heard the Mandy Moore version? It's love. Irritating hook aside, I think the lyrics are really sweet.

[devilpiglet.livejournal.com]

What the poster above me said. A "statement" can very easily look like a bill (because in EVERY OTHER AREA OF LIFE, they're interchangeable). My first call would be to your insurance company, and they should tell you what portion is your responsibility and what portion is theirs. Remember that they negotiate with network hospitals and physicians, so you may be seeing the "retail" rate (for lack of a better term) rather than whatever they've allowed your insurance co. to pay. Does that make sense?

Also: http://download.yousendit.com/2495716376357282 I apologize for the Jay-Z presence.

[(Anonymous)]

You can take the statement or bill thingy and call your rep and ask to go over every single line item. Sometimes they overcharge for stuff, or charge for the wrong thing. Like if a line item on your statement says something like,oh I don't know, "$200 for arm cast," then you know something ain't right.

Also, like LBB said, sometimes they re-bill a couple of times to see if they can get the insurance company to pick up some more stuff.

But if you have any questions at all, you might want to just try getting a customer service rep on the phone and keep him/her on the phone until all your questions are answered.

But yeah. Besides that -- health care is expensive.

[xica-s.livejournal.com]

Also, any insurance that didn't have NMH in it's network in Chicago would probably fold as it practically has a monopoly in Chicago's overall health

I'm sure that all the insurance companies have NMH in their networks...but sometimes companies opt into cheaper (for them) crappy plans that cause their employees to stop going to the doctor they've had at the Northwestern Physicians group since they were 19 and completely screw up the serious progress said employee has made in getting her boob job covered by insurance. Not to mention having to start at square one with a new doctor who doesn't understand your ongoing knee/back problems and just thinks you're fat. notthatthathashappenedtomethisyearoranything.

Oh, Dr. Wilkes, I miss you so.

And like others have said, make sure its a bill and not a statement before you go writing any checks. After my mom had her heart attack we got a 10 page bill from Rush (another great hospital) for some ridiculous amount. We knew it was covered by insurance, but still, it was amazing to see what it costs to be sick in this country.

[chicken-cem.livejournal.com]

You don't necessarily owe all that, definitely call and talk about it.

*HUGS*