If I were in your situation, I'd call my State's Office of Consumer Affairs and see what they have to say/suggest...might even chat with the State's Insurance Commissioner. Then, if they were useless, I'd call the most aggressive consumer-adocate TV station in the area and talk to a reporter. If I thought it'd do any good, I'd mention my plans to the hospital rep.Jim Smith's girlfriend wrote:...
Sleep study ripoff
Re: Sleep study ripoff
ResMed S9 range 9.8-17, RespCare Hybrid FFM
Never, never, never, never say never.
Never, never, never, never say never.
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spacetoast
- Posts: 174
- Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 4:23 pm
- Location: Golden, CO
Re: Sleep study ripoff
I'd tear my insurance company a new one and tell them what Muse, Inc. just said.
$14,000 is the price of a new, small car. Not a sleep study!
$14,000 is the price of a new, small car. Not a sleep study!
Re: Sleep study ripoff
I work at an insurance company. It is true that hospitals can set the "rack rate" anywhere they want to. Insurance companies negotiate prices with hospitals or hospital systems directly. But $360 to one hospital and $4300 to another is ridiculous.
Let me tell you, in health insurance the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Here are my suggestions for you:
1. Call the hospital and offer to pay them the Medicare rate. Ask for supervisor/manager until someone says yes. Explain that you had no idea that the cost could be that high, and you expected it to be under $500 since it was $360 last time. If they refuse, tell them you are going to file a complaint with the PA Attorney General and PA Secretary of Health. If you can't get them to agree...
2. Call the insurance company. Ask why the allowable amount was $360 before and $4300 now. Mention that you think this is an scam since you now have a deductible that means you have to pay the entire $4300. Ask for supervisor/manager until you get an answer. Then tell them your are going to file a complaint with the PA Attorney General and PA Insurance Commissioner.
3. Call (or write or email) the PA Attorney General, PA Insurance Commissioner, PA Secretary of Health, and your US Representative. If you have a local news channel that does rip off stories, call them. They'll LOVE to get a story like this right now with all the healthcare reform hoopla going on. (In fact, you might want to do that first. They news people will do the rest!)
Trust me. At my company, nothing gets attention like an inquiry from a government person. And that's a LOT of money!
Let me tell you, in health insurance the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Here are my suggestions for you:
1. Call the hospital and offer to pay them the Medicare rate. Ask for supervisor/manager until someone says yes. Explain that you had no idea that the cost could be that high, and you expected it to be under $500 since it was $360 last time. If they refuse, tell them you are going to file a complaint with the PA Attorney General and PA Secretary of Health. If you can't get them to agree...
2. Call the insurance company. Ask why the allowable amount was $360 before and $4300 now. Mention that you think this is an scam since you now have a deductible that means you have to pay the entire $4300. Ask for supervisor/manager until you get an answer. Then tell them your are going to file a complaint with the PA Attorney General and PA Insurance Commissioner.
3. Call (or write or email) the PA Attorney General, PA Insurance Commissioner, PA Secretary of Health, and your US Representative. If you have a local news channel that does rip off stories, call them. They'll LOVE to get a story like this right now with all the healthcare reform hoopla going on. (In fact, you might want to do that first. They news people will do the rest!)
Trust me. At my company, nothing gets attention like an inquiry from a government person. And that's a LOT of money!