3 year old daughter was way dehydrated and lost about 7 pounds (weighs about 35 pounds normally) She was unable to keep any fluids or food down at all.

Pediatrician said yep she is dehydrated and needs at a minimum a saline drip to get her numbers up. And go to the ER to get it done.

ER doc gave a 43 second consultation where he said nothing was wrong with her, she was fine. We disagreed, and agreed with our pediatrician, that she needed IV fluids at a minimum. ER doc said she was fine, take her home, give her water. WTF? We have been doing that for the past 4 days and she lost 20% of her body weight and looked liked a concentration camp survivor. That approach obliviously wasn't working. TOLD the doc to give her IV fluids, which he relented to.

Within 5 minutes of receiving IV fluids, daughter is talkative, laughing and acting normal (basically back to normal). That afternoon she has no problems keeping food or water down and is fine after that, and quickly regains her weight and normalcy.

We received a $65 bill from our pediatrician, a $1300 bill from the hospital (for one bag of IV solution administered) and a $350 bill from the incompetent ER doctor who gave us literally a one minute consultation (never saw him again). My portion due, after insurance, is about $1700. Highway robbery.

I have no problem paying our pediatrician her fee of $65. I have a huge problem paying $1300 to the hospital and $350 to the idiot ER doc. Any good tips on negotiating this shit down? Preferably way down. The hospital billing department did offer a 12 month payment plan with no interest (paying full amount, with no discount). That's all fine and dandy, but I do not want to pay for Juan, Jose, and Carlos medical bills as well.

Glad your girl is bouncing back. I’m looking forward to responses.

I tried to negotiate our $13000 (pre-insurance) emergency appendectomy. Best the hospital would do is 5% off if paid in cash. Seems like that was the standard discount they offered, and were reading it off a script or something. I figured my daughters operation paid for probably 20 people without insurance to visit the ER.

When I didn't have insurance I negotiated all of my medical bills. Every single one.

I think your problem is going to be the fact that you have insurance.

Ask to see accounts manager. Do not complain about quality of medieval service.

Explain you are unable to pay the full amount of the bill. Insert poor mouth story here. Offer 20% of bill cash right now for full settlement. Otherwise you have to let it go to collections like your other medieval bills.

Good luck.

They are going to tell you that they can't negotiate down because they have accepted your insurance, and part of their contract with your insurance is how much they will charge their customers that have that insurance.

I would hope the medical treatment was not medieval.

If it was, I want a REALLY big discount

quote:

Originally posted by EasyFire:
Ask to see accounts manager. Do not complain about quality of medieval service.

Explain you are unable to pay the full amount of the bill. Insert poor mouth story here. Offer 20% of bill cash right now for full settlement. Otherwise you have to let it go to collections like your other medieval bills.

Good luck.

Without insurance, you can speak to billing and get them to settle for the Medicaid reimbursement rate, typically 1% over cost. With insurance, I don't know.

Bruce

Is it a private hospital or, county/city?

County hospitals tend to be more lenient and will offer various payment plans/options. One of them, at least in San Mateo when I was dealing with a broken leg/DR visit/scans/PT, pay half the amount within 30-days of dated invoice, otherwise you paid 100% of the invoice after 30-days.

I'd contact your insurance company, as I doubt that was really the rate they negotiate with the hospital for an IV. After that, I'd go tell them I couldn't afford to pay that bill, but I could pay hem some small fraction. Does your pediatrician have privileges at that hospital. If so, not following his medical orders is a no-no for the hospital. Lastly, if nothing else worked, I'd point out to that hospital that I saved them a malpractice suit involving a little girl.

First start with the "patient advocate" . Be calm as you were here, with these nice concise details, and explain it to them and let them start an investigation. Then take that investigation response, with your bill, to "patient finance" and work it out. They definitely DO lower self-pay bills. Definitely. Good luck!

I had a similar problem a few years back. I got nowhere with the hospital, but my insurance company was VERY interested. We ended up getting the charges we disputed removed.

How long was she in for? In the ER the whole time or transferred to a room?

I could potentially see disputing the ER consult, but that's about it.

ER visits are expensive by design. Look at any insurance policy and you will see that.

"You ate the steak. You pay for the steak."
-Judge Judy

next time you can ask them before hand what the cost of treatment is going to be and decide if you want to pay it or not.

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
When I didn't have insurance I negotiated all of my medical bills. Every single one.

I think your problem is going to be the fact that you have insurance.

This is the correct answer.
I went through this process last year after a 45 minute ER visit.
The contract they have with the insurance company's is the cause. They base their payments on the supposed retail charge which is us poor paying and insured folks. If I didn't have insurance they would have cut me a deal. With it, no way. I even called the state insurance commissioners office, my insurance company, and the hospital several times.
Another wonderful ACA and insurance company screwing.
They really don't want going to the ER.

Back on a old employers plan our HR said if you even call bluecross will give you a discount for attempting to reduce the debt. Never needes to try that though.

Best of luck and what a shitty deal. A to your hotel room IV in vegas is like 300 bucks. 1300?? Total BS.

Glad your daughter is feeling better.

quote:

Originally posted by nasig:
next time you can ask them before hand what the cost of treatment is going to be and decide if you want to pay it or not.

Nice idea,but not sure the health industry is geared up for that level of customer service.

I have negotiated my ER vivits on each visit.

They usually come tell you that "if you pay your (estimated) art today we can knock off 10%"

I found that if I wait and don't make any payment, I can go visit the bean counters in a building across the street and that guy will knock off 15-20% if I pay it off (my part) then.

Saved $300 on the sleep study I just had.

BTW- I have good insurance-so it is my experience that everything can be negotiated.

Did they do any labs? At least a urine?

I'm wondering why the heck the pediatrician could not tap her up to an IV right there and then.

That's the real problem I see with the current system. Heck, an EMT-I can administer an IV...