Huge Hospital Bill... How On Earth Will I Ever Pay This Off??

[jenglynn]

I just got my "final" (for now, because I'm sure I will be going to Mayo forever) out of pocket bill from Mayo today. Mayo is out of network but because I was admitted as an emergency, it was supposed to be covered in network ( the transports, ER and 14 day inpatient) and all the tests and consultations were supposed to be retro approved via a referral. Well, my insurance company (it's a small health plan- our local hospital has its own insurance plan- talk about irony???? I am an employee of the very health plan! I am a Patient Advocate for our plan.. Lol). Anyway, my final bill for EVERYTHING- out of my pocket owed is $315,900!!!!! WHAT????? What on earth did they DO to me????? This includes all outpatient tests, inpatient tests, transports to and from, room and board, doctors, tests, everything... But STILL! That is AFTER my insurance company which happens to be my employer paid their part? Over $300,000??? We have an HMO and no out of pocket limit for out of network- but it wasn't supposed to be out of network so I see an appeals in my future. Great. But let's say all my appeals get denied! How on earth would anyone pay that? Oh, by the way, remember, I'm disabled.. Wow. I'm trying not to freak out because I think it's just a typical insurance mistake- I work in the industry- and after this whole ordeal of trying to deal with them since I've been sick, I will NEVER be working for them again. They have gone out of their way to make this whole process harder for me to save a few dollars- because of uneducated nurses denying referrals and ended up costing themselves double what it should have.

That's my rant for the day- guess I owe Mayo a whole lot of money- hope they'll take payments- for the rest of my LIFE!!!!!

Jen

[issie]

I've dealt with allot of insurance over the years. I've done billing for doctors and had allot of bills myself. It's not supposed to be easy and it never is. They want to make it just as hard as possible. They hope that you will just give up and cave in. You may need to get someone else on it - because, right now - you are too sick to have the fight to deal with what it's going to be. I've had things that have taken me an entire year to straighten out. I, right now have bills from Mayo that are about 9 months old that I'm still fighting about. Mayo is SUPER expensive. And that's why I tell everyone to make sure you have your insurance in place.

It seems that it's always a big headache when there are massive bills. If, all the appeals fail - which I don't think they will. You can negotiate a price with Mayo. They usually will take alot less, IF you can do a lump sum payment. If not, they still usually will work with you on making payments and lower the amount owed. But, I'm thinking allot of it will get taken care of by the insurance. You just need to have them go back and re-do the claims at IN-NETWORK and allot more will be paid and allot more is going to be dismissed. It is just going to take time. Also, if you qualify, there is a provision that the state may pay the bill. It depends on your income and bills owed, etc. They don't usually tell you about it - but, you can file papers through the hospital requesting assistance. Try to not let it stress you out. It's just how it works. It's a headache and that's how it's set up to be. Sorry hon, that you're so sick and now have to deal with this too. You may can hire someone to do it all for you and it might be worth it. There are some people whose business it is and that's all they do - deal with insurance. I did a whole lot of it when I worked for doctors - it just takes a whole lot of patience and determination and a good bit of insistance.

Hang In There - you will get it sorted.

Issie

[Lemons2lemonade]

I know. I am learning a lot about the garbage that disabled people have to go through. Its not enough that you are sick, but you also have to worry about all these other things too...Including enormous hospital bills.

[jenglynn]

THANK YOU, Issie! I think it was the initial sticker shock! I am sure that I will get ALL of this changed to in network with an appeal because I had everything sorted out before I was ever admitted. I just think it is silly that they denied it this way in the first place... I HAD my referral approved, my emergency admission was approved due to organ failure, and all of my outpatient testing was retro approved via referral because it wasn't available elsewhere once I was actually diagnosed. I have all the paperwork. I WORK in this department, for goodness sake, they should KNOW that I am going to figure this out. We have about 50 employees so it isn't like they don't realize this is MY bill or who I am when the process the claim? Not that I deserve "special treatment" over anyone else- but the typical let's deny and then let them appeal isn't going to work with me. I have the letters of approval. But, it is just one more thing that I am going to have to deal with when I don't feel well. It is frustrating... but I am 100% certain that I will get this reversed and I have met my out of pocket for the year so I think I am actually going to owe nothing. I think it is going to come to someone in OUR insurance department trying to work with Mayo to try to reduce the charges. They must be just SUPER expensive. I think the overall bill was $700,000 plus! Just crazy!!!!!

Thank you for your calming words. It really helped me calm down and think about it- and I realized WHY am I panicking? I just went and easily found the approval letters for the emergency admission and inpatient care after AND the outpatient testing and consults. Once I took a deep breath and thought about it- I realized I didn't need to stress about it. Thank you for pointing it out to me and probably saving me a huge adrenal surge!!!! HUGS to you for that!!! :

Jen

[tinkerbella]

HANG in there Jen~ I'm so sorry this is happening to you right now ~ None of us need this stress.

It reminds me of when they thought I had lymphoma a long time ago. The bills kept growing and

growing ~ There were no answers, just that I also had a blood disorder Von WillandBrand's ~ WHAT

WAS GOING ON?????? I was scared, had no money and went to the billing office~ It was there that I

met the most caring Angel, who appeared as a man. HE told me, "Everything In Life Was Fixable AND

Not To Worry About A Thing." I told him, I wished I had met him years ago. I learned a Huge lesson

that day! I had bigger worries than bills, and the bills he could fix...Most hadn't processed yet.

I was looking at the wrong picture or too big of a picture.

Jen, we can't do this all alone. ASK FOR YOUR ANGEL to help you ~ I have found many that my higher

power has time released one by one to help me, just when I was about to fall ~

We are all here for you 24/7 just by the click of the keyboard ~ Keep us updated and once it's all

sorted out, pay what you are able and even ask if they will accept less ~

hugs ~

bellamia ~

[Rachel]

Jen, wow, that is a big sticker shock! Yikes! I hope that you are able to get it all sorted out with as little stress as possible.

Issie, thanks for all of that helpful information. I am hoping to go to Mayo sometime in the near future, and that gives me a good idea of what to expect and how to prepare insurance wise.

Rachel