Health insurance rant

fishgirl77

Remember when I cut my finger open and had to get three stitches?  We're getting the bills now.  I have to pay a $200 co-pay for the ED visit and most of the cost of the visit because I haven't met my deductible.  This will be roughly $750.

H's individual health insurance has a higher deductible (not by that much anymore) and an ED visit is a flat $150 co-pay.  I feel ripped off.

6fsn

Oh how I feel the pain.  Insurance and 6let's procedure are the only reason I'm still working. 

MinM

I feel your pain. I have to pay hundred of dollars each time I have an MRI. I am paying it off with a plan at the hospital because I got hit with bills for two MRIs at once, and couldn't handle the blow. The good deal is, it is an interest free arrangement.

Future Mrs Butterworth

Sometimes you can offer them less if you can give it to them in a lump sum. I'd start out low. Say you can give them (if your total bill is $950) $450 if they will call it even, you'll hand over the cash now, and write the bill as paid in full. Hospitals do this a lot because they're usually still making a profit, and it's less administrative costs, plus they're happy to be getting paid at all.

You could try that.

fishgirl77

I know that part of my frustration is we're just finishing up paying off my gall bladder surgery and now we're going to have to start the whole process again.  They're always really good about setting up plans, I just wanted to be free of the them for awhile.

It also doesn't help that everything in our health insurance was increased this year.  Co-pays, deductibles, and everything.

6fsn

Min has a good point.  You can negotiate a little bit.  My hospital has a 20% discount for prompt pay and they let you put in on a credit card.  That gives 2 months to pay it off and a discount, plus points if the cc has it.  If it's too much to pay off in 2 months then see if they'll let you spread out pay back.