I'm sorry what? I ask stupefied at the admissions desk of the outpatient center where I'm scheduled for a Monday morning operation. The lady behind the desk can tell that I'm getting upset. "Uhm..we need $500 upfront in addition to your $100 insurance deductible." she says softly trying not to upset me. I know none of this is her fault and tell myself that and calm down.
"But why? Isn't my insurance paying for this?" I ask. "Most of it" she answers. She tells me all the business mumbo jumbo and insurance stuff that I don't understand as to why the additional $500 is needed. Which after I sit there and process it through actually reading all the registration documents pretty much amounts to the insurance paying jack for my stay and only paying for most of the surgery. I begrudgingly give the lady behind the admissions desk my bank card and she quickly and every so painfully deducts $600 from my bank account. I know feel sicker than if it were just my gall-bladder.
"I know it sucks" she tells me. "Tell me about it" I reply. "Used to be hospitals took care of their patients first and then worried about getting paid later. Now you can't even get into one without making what amounts to a down-payment on an apartment." I say out kinda loud. The older lady sitting behind me in the waiting room yells out, "Damn straight!!!" "I hear that" says another gentleman.
I finish filling out my paperwork and provide them with my power of attorney just in case something happens and I can't make decisions for myself. I recently updated this to include MTG just in case my parents aren't available to do this. After I leave the outpatient center I go to the doctors office to pay him his piece of the pie. Which I don't have a problem with, in fact I expected that. The girl there goes over everything I need to do Sunday night to get ready for the surgery. I thank her and start to head out. "Hey!!" she yells out. "Yeah?" I answer. "Wait let me validate your parking pass." I hand her the parking pass for her to stamp it. "Now you won't have to pay the parking garage fee." she says kindly. "Thanks a bunch." I say.
Surgery may be a bitch. But what's worse the the co-pays and lousy insurance coverage. BLUE CROSS BLUE SHEILD YOU SUCK!!!
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2 comments:
Yeah, co-pays such, but when you get the bill that shows how much everything cost and how much your insurance paid for, you'll be thankful. When I had surgery for a staph infection, and later had to spend a week in the hospital on IV antibiotics, it was an OUTRAGEOUS amount. I only have to pay a $500 co-pay and I paid some doctor's office visit co-pays too. But in the grand scheme of things, that was getting off cheap.
That does suck. You need to defect to Canada.
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