Venting

[Guest guest]

Hi guys,

I just wanted to vent about something that some of you have probably faced

before, but I never expected to happen.  Shows what I know.  Okay, my son

was in the hospital for the first time for 13 days in August of last year.  When

we received the bills from the hospital, they had charged about $30,000, however

the insurance company would only allow them to charge $12,000, so that was all

they paid.  Well, Jonah was in a few weeks ago as you all know.  We brought him

home to do his meds after three days, so naturally, we assumed we would be

saving charges to his lifetime max by doing this.  The bills began coming from

the hospital and were about $5,000.  Well, I assumed the insurance company would

make them reduce it to half again.  Guess what, they are actually going to pay

them $12,600.  They are paying them as much as they did for 's 13 days.

Unbelievable.  Their explanation to me was that the hospital puts in codes and

under their contract, they are required to pay them for the value of the codes

regardless of the amount the hospital actually charged.  I said, so okay what if

I get an itemized statement and there are things that don't mesh.  They said we

will refer you to the hospital to take up your grievance because under their

contract they cannot dispute them.  They have to trust them to be honest. YEAH

RIGHT!! There is no way they did as much for Jonah as they did and now he

is also going to be billed for home health care for many days.  I should have

left him there and made them actually do the work they must have claimed to do.

UGH!!!!!!!!

Peggy mom of Jonah and 5yrs twins wcf