Negotiating medical bills

**eofelis** · 07-18-2010, 04:25 PM

I have been searching around on FV and online elsewhere on how to deal with medical bills if you are uninsured. I've found some good tips, but looking for more.

A week ago bf had a fall and got a concussion that necessitated a trip to the ER. Bruises but no other serious injuries, thankfully.

After a couple of CT scans and other services the bills are amazing, as you would imagine.

He probably won't be able to continue with his seasonal job. He is a field geologist and his job had to find someone else to fill his position to map certain areas before hunting season starts there. The job required driving long distances and hiking in remote areas. He can barely walk out to the mailbox, let alone drive anywhere, he still feels dizzy and wiped out.

The bills say that if you require financial assistance to call. We plan to visit them next week to ask about how they can help us. Bills for ambulance and individual docs have not yet showed up.

I have read where bills can be negotiated down or payment plans set up. Has anyone had success with this?

**Luckybustert** · 07-18-2010, 05:55 PM

If they're offering financial assistance on the bill itself, that's a good sign. I haven't tried this, but I think I'd explain my financial situation and ask for a reduced rate first and if that wasn't successful I'd ask to pay in several installments. You can't get what you want if you don't ask for it, right? Good luck to you, hope your negotiations with them go well!

**Sophia** · 07-18-2010, 05:57 PM

You can get your bills down as much as half off the bill. If you have the money to pay it you can get 50% knocked off it. Ask to see a patient Rep or to talk to someone about your bill. You can also fill out paperwork and depending on your earnings and bills sometimes you can get your visit for free. Even when you have insurance you can still get money knocked off your bill. Up to 35 % or 40 % after the insurance payment. Also if you wait till it nearly goes to collection ( I wouldn't) you can get 75 % knocked off it. I use to be patient rep at a hospital. The Dr. bills and Ambulance bill is seprate and you will have to talk to them about getting your bill lowered. Good Luck

**Panndy1** · 07-18-2010, 07:15 PM

This is a different topic. The breast cancer association will pay for free mammograms to those who don't have insurance. I have gotten mine free the past free years and also the GYN exams. You have to talk to the lady in charge and they need to know things like what your yearly income is. We haven't had health insurance for years.

**Darlene** · 07-19-2010, 08:08 AM

When dd was just out of school, was no longer under our insurance and not yet found a job with insurance she had to go to the hospital/doctor for something. Without even asking they knew she had no insurance and sent her a bill saying if you pay this discounted amount (think it was 1/2) by such and such a date we consider it paid in full. She was so surprised, felt very fortunate, and did pay immediately.

Call. Good luck and hope your bf feels better soon.

**savvy_sniper** · 07-19-2010, 08:26 AM

Call them all ASAP and tell them your situation and ask for help. Most will offer you a large discount IF you can pay in full. Others will offer you a payment plan. Not all are easy to deal with.

I had an emergency appendectomy with complications in April 2008 and was in the hospital for two weeks. I have medical insurance, but my part was still a lot of money. Everybody was extremely helpful and offered me discounts and payments plans EXCEPT the hospital.

I started sending them $60 a month as soon as I got my first bill. When I asked for help, they offered no discount and said I would have to pay $88 a month or they would turn me over to collections.

I told them I could only send $60 and did so faithfully. They turned me over to collections. I continued to pay them $60 a month until I paid them off. It took almost 2 years. I could have paid if off sooner, but chose not to. They wouldn't deal with me and turned me over to collections in spite of my payment history in this economy; so I saw no reason to pay it off early.

The collection agency people were rude and nasty. They made me a verbal payoff offer but would not follow it up in writing. They wanted me to let them draft my checking account every month and I said NO WAY! Don't give anyone access to your checking account or credit card information! Make all payments yourself each month.

Good Luck!

**StaceyS** · 07-21-2010, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by Panndy1

This is a different topic. The breast cancer association will pay for free mammograms to those who don't have insurance. I have gotten mine free the past free years and also the GYN exams. You have to talk to the lady in charge and they need to know things like what your yearly income is. We haven't had health insurance for years.

Really?? That's all I go to the doctor for. It costs me a bundle. My OBGYN doesn't seem to be very workable. I'll give it a try, though.

**Panndy1** · 07-22-2010, 12:15 AM

Stacey the 1st time I got my free mammogram I didn't realize I could get the free Dr. appt. too. I had to have the Dr. appt. scheduled before I could get the mammogram. Since then I found out i could get them both paid for.

**macemesmum** · 07-24-2010, 02:21 AM

The health system there is certainly a wonder!! dh had stomach pains the other night, he went to dr who then sent him for an xray then a CT scan and then back to the dr oh and a blood work, total bill for all of this out of pocket (no insurance used although we have insurance its just so we can go to private hospital if we wantto althoungh we dont have to ) total bill $43.00. yep less than $50 and its not because we are low income anyone would get the same here in australia. thats why we aussies find it hard to understand why our friends in the US dont want the same medical system we have. i pray your health system gets fixed soon

**HandyMom** · 07-26-2010, 04:12 AM

Originally Posted by macemesmum

The health system there is certainly a wonder!! dh had stomach pains the other night, he went to dr who then sent him for an xray then a CT scan and then back to the dr oh and a blood work, total bill for all of this out of pocket (no insurance used although we have insurance its just so we can go to private hospital if we wantto althoungh we dont have to ) total bill $43.00. yep less than $50 and its not because we are low income anyone would get the same here in australia. thats why we aussies find it hard to understand why our friends in the US dont want the same medical system we have. i pray your health system gets fixed soon

I wish the same for us. The trouble is, a lot of people don't think it's broke. A topic for the debate forums....! :x

**eofelis** · 07-27-2010, 01:15 PM

Thanks for all the posts!
The hospital sent us forms to submit our income and expenses, so I am gathering all that together.

A friend of mine was in another hospital in town last year (she severly injured her arm, 4 surguries, week in hospital, $250k, insurance paid most, $5k deductible) she was a student working p/t then. They reduced her $5k bill to $900 and gave her a year to pay it. I think both hospitals are related somehow.

Going to submit all our paperwork by the end of the week.
I don't think this hospital is hurting for money, they just built a humungous new wing onto the hospital......

I can get free gyn exams and mammograms here too. I had a free mmg last year.

**eofelis** · 07-27-2010, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by macemesmum

The health system there is certainly a wonder!! dh had stomach pains the other night, he went to dr who then sent him for an xray then a CT scan and then back to the dr oh and a blood work, total bill for all of this out of pocket (no insurance used although we have insurance its just so we can go to private hospital if we wantto althoungh we dont have to ) total bill $43.00. yep less than $50 and its not because we are low income anyone would get the same here in australia. thats why we aussies find it hard to understand why our friends in the US dont want the same medical system we have. i pray your health system gets fixed soon

I'm very envious of your socialized medicine. I'd gladly pay more in taxes if it helped out everyone like that. I wish this country would get it's act together....