[missw005]

Has anybody done this???

Just got the bill for my gallbladder removal. Eeeek!!! My insurance didn't cover as much as I thought.

But here's my big issue: I told EVERYONE, multiple times, that I throw up from anesthesia - EVERY time - and needed whatever meds necessary to prevent that from happening. The surgeon, the anesthesiologist, nurses, etc. - "I am a BIG barfer!"

Somehow that was NOT heard, and needless to say, I started barfing as soon as I woke up from surgery. THEN they started injecting me with everything under the sun to get the barfing to stop, and I was also nauseous as all get out.

So my same-day, in-n-out surgery became an overnight stay. And I am being charged through the nose for it!!!

I'm going to call/write/not sure the hospital to dispute some of these charges, or at least get them reduced or something! Has anybody done this before???? Do you have any suggestions - tips - anything??

I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks,

Sandy

[tweetybirdus]

Hospital bills are negotiable. If you tell them that you would like to pay the bill in entirety but would like a reduction the amount, most of the time, they will take 20-30% off. I do this all the time. Just call the billing office.

[finallyamom0310]

Haven't had to dispute but thought I would throw out there that you might have an allergic reaction to the morphine like I do. I did the same thing following surgeries till the finally tried other pain meds instead of morphine and I was fine.

[missw005]

Originally Posted by tweetybirdus

Hospital bills are negotiable. If you tell them that you would like to pay the bill in entirety but would like a reduction the amount, most of the time, they will take 20-30% off. I do this all the time. Just call the billing office.

I wish!!! Unfortunately, I'll be on the monthly payment plan. I seem to be inundated with major bills the last few weeks - $513 for car repairs, $1015 for propane..........

But I want to dispute some of the pharmacy charges plus the overnight observation charges. I would not have had to stay overnight had I not become so ill from barfing, and I would not have needed so many extra meds if they had listened to me about the barfing beforehand. Let alone how they charged $52 for a pregnancy test (hello!!! NOT pregnant!) and $56 for 2 Prilosec pills? (can get an entire bottle for that amount)

I'm just curious if there's a certain way or better way to go about it.

Sandy

[BrandyHagz]

No advice here...I am also a barfer - I was SHOCKED a week ago this past Thursday when I went in for a 'day surgery' and I told the Dr. about my 'issue' and he gave me the option of staying awake during the procedure and using only a local.

HECK YES THATS WHAT I WANT!!!!

I did and I did well - although, post procedure, when they took me to the XRay room to verify placement of my Port, the tech sat me up to fast and I barfed on her anyway.

Good luck - from what I understand - everything is open to negotiation.

[tweetybirdus]

Still, call the billing office and see what they say. You still may be able to get some discount and write a letter to the CEO of the hospital to complain about the treatment. We've had some luck reducing some bills that way as well.

My dd had to have a 2nd open heart surgery because of a misdiagnosis and the doctor responsible refused to talk to us about it. Very angry about that. We wrote a letter to the CEO of the hospital and any bill that was incurred because of him was written off totally. We still had to pay for the original surgery (what insurance didn't cover) and PICU care, but that wasn't too bad as we got that reduced when I offered to pay all at once, 30% off.

Out of $120,000, we payed, $1,500.

[nikkianni]

The hospital should have some sort of actual appeal process in writing. You can usually find it in their websites, but if not, call their billing department.
Normally there are a zillion steps but like everyone else said, everything is negotiable. And if you can prove that you have this condition and it was in your records (that your doctors should have reviewed), I'd say you've got a pretty good case.

[sheababy]

Write a letter and be specific about the charges you are disputing and why. Include an itemized copy of the bill and highlight the charges that you wish to be removed. This process could take a month or maybe several as you go back and forth with them so I would encourage you to try and save up the money to pay the bill in full. We have gotten 60% off doing this.

You might try calling your insurance company and telling them you were billed for unnecessary procedures, they may be able to go to bat for you.

[jp4ga]

Apparently when I was in the hospital I had "advanced Life Support Systems" When I called to dispute the charges I got nowhere. No one could even tell me what the code stood for. I found that I got results when I wrote a letter and had it signed for. I got a call from the hospital administrator a few days later. I was able to neg. payments and got some charges reduced, and then rebilled to insurance. I also had to fight with the insurance company to pay, but in the end I only had to pay about half of the charges. My fight took about 6 months, I always paid something each month to show that I did intend to pay my fair amount.

[shy_bear]

Were you there a full 24hrs? If not could they resbmit it as 23 hr observation? When I see my specialist I stay overnight in the hospital,but it is billed as 23 hr observation... Good luck!!!

[bagletkt]

I am in the same situtuation. My part $1200 and I didn't even have surgery. I has pancreatitis caused by gall stones. In the future I will have to have my gall bladder out and I am not looking forward to that bill. GOOD LUCK!