Tuesday, March 27, 2012

OMG! and an opportunity for advice!

I opened an explanation of benefits letter last night.  And yelled OMG so loud my husband was extricated from his computer to come see what the matter was.  My local hospital is going to attempt to charge me $2,030.00 for one friggin' ultrasound!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Yes, $685 for the 30 second abdominal ultrasound and $1,345 for the transvag.  I get the pleasure of a transvag ultrasound and I am rewarded with a bill for $1,345??????

Lest you think I'm freaking out, I'm really not.  I'm in control.  I know this is a game.  The for-profit hospital price gouges and thinks an idiot like me will comply.  No ma'am.  First of all, the abdominal ultrasound was not on the order.  She just tried it... because... I don't know, she was curious.  I told her I wasn't having one and my bladder was not full.

I tried calling the hospital but apparently messed up the phone tree because getting to "member billing" got me in touch with a woman who asked me for my mental health claim number.  I might be crazy but that's not the issue here.  I want to negotiate this thing.

Now, ladies and whatever gentleman is out there... what approach should I take?  Should I pretend I'm too poor to pay (unethical)?  Should I tell them I've been such a great customer of the hospital that they should show some customer loyalty (ethical)?  Should I tell them I'll pay nothing knowing that they'll try and talk me up or even put me on a payment plan (stupid)?  I am willing to pay 10% of the $1,345 but that's really my max.  I know a lot of you have run into ridiculously high insurance costs related to infertility so I'd love the advice.  I guess the world can't reward us enough.  We can't procreate and if we want a little help, the powers that be will drive us into bankruptcy!

4 comments:

  1. Wow...that was an expensive ultrasound...health ins is just outragious and so the hsp/dr bills. ugh! So frustrating...I would talk to billing and find out how they came up with that insane number...I've had transvag and regular ultrasounds and I know they didn't cost that much. Hope you find some answers.

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  2. I am the last person in the world to ask advice since we ended up with a GIGANTIC bill from my surgeries in the US. I try very hard not to think of what I could be spending my money on rather than paying the bill that I don't want to pay!

    Hopefully you can talk them down from that ridiculous charge!

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  3. Omg!!!! That's CRAZY!!!!!! My only advice is that I would SOOO fight that!! That's ridiculous!!

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