Not sure how I feel about this. Help me decide

[KevinP73]

As some of you know I recently fell ill and was hospitalized for a couple days. Without insurance I'm left with a rather large bill. A friend of mine who is sympathetic to my plight developed a web site in an effort to raise funds. She is offering a $1,000.00 prize for the person who guesses the bill. Each guess will cost a couple bucks. I'm not sure if this makes it a lottery or a raffle or exactly what. Maybe it's just electronic panhandling, E-begging? Anyway, even though I appreciate her efforts I'm not sure how I feel about it in general.
So my question to you guys (in the form of a poll) what do you think of her idea?

[slodave]

I don't think any Pelican was expecting to walk away with a prize for guessing your doctors bills. We offered to help without any return.

Dave

[KevinP73]

Originally Posted by slodave

I don't think any Pelican was expecting to walk away with a prize for guessing your doctors bills. We offered to help without any return.

Dave

I am very grateful for the offers to help from the Pelican community. But I feel that I already benefit greatly from the community. It is worth more to me to know who my friends are then anything else. She doesn't know about the site here and is only trying to help in a creative sort of way.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by slodave

I don't think any Pelican was expecting to walk away with a prize for guessing your doctors bills. We offered to help without any return.

Dave

+1

Where do I send a check?

[slodave]

Well, if I won, I'd give the $1000.- to Kevin.

[KevinP73]

Dave and I just had a long talk about this. I really appreciate the offers to help from the community but I really don't need the help that bad. The county has a "ability to pay" program that I can participate in. I think there are much greater causes that can use the donations. When I first learned about Pelican Parts there was a gentleman back east who had passed from Hep C that he contracted thru his work. The community helped restore his 911 for his widow. Now that is a worthy cause. Or host has an organization that is far more worthy than someone who bet against his need for health insurance and lost. Please donate to Wayne's organization. It was Great to be able to log on and see who my friends are. I appreciate everyones good wishes and offers to help. But I earn a pretty good living and the Pelican community is to credit for that.

[dd74]

Kev - you know me pretty well now after seven or so years of my 911 ownership. You probably also know I'm a little slow on the uptake if things aren't crystal clear for me. I'm not sure exactly what your friend is trying to do, so here's the deal: if you need help, just send me a PM or call me on the phone.

[911Rob]

Originally Posted by slodave

I don't think any Pelican was expecting to walk away with a prize for guessing your doctors bills. We offered to help without any return.

Dave

+2
Always willing and able to help out a PHead!!!

I believe in good Karma.
Get someone to set up a paypal link like moses did a while back?

Hope your doing much better?

[Joeaksa]

Is this another "Social Experiment?"

[David]

I've heard you can find loose change and even paper money in laundry mats. Just a thought.

Set up a paypal account. I don't mind throwing a few buck to another Pelican, consider it the money I don't give to panhandlers.

Reminds of a story after the Rita exodus. My wife was standing in line at the grocery store in East Texas talking to lady about our 23 hour ordeal. As my wife was leaving, the lady handed her a $20 bill. My wife said thanks, but no thanks. The lady said, I'd rather give it to someone I know rather than some person on the corner, so if you don't need the money just buy something fun like beer.

[Neilk]

I had a long answer typed out but a Pelican DB error wiped it out.

Basically, hospital bills are very negotiable. I don't think there is a case rate for MRSA, so insurance companies would pay a per diem rate of around $1,500 per day (maybe more in SoCal) plus extra if your antibiotic is considered a high cost drug. Tell the hospital that you would be happy to pay what insurance companies pay but you can't afford more. Now $1,500 per day might be way more than you want to pay, but I'm sure that it's less than half what you were billed. You can always try to pay less. For hospitals, something is better than nothing. Lastly, even though hospital bills don't really affect your credit score, it's much easier to deal with them than a collection agency. Good luck.

I will be dealing with the same thing for my brother. He was recently in the hospital for 4 days after a debilitating case of vertigo.

[johnco]

wow. a couple days in the hospital.. try 1 operation to remove tumor in lymph node and tonsil, several biopsies, 2 ct scans, 1 mri, numerous visits with specialists, 4 teeth removed by oral surgeon for radiation treatments, 36 radiation treatments with 4 more to go, 3 chemo treatments, 100 miles a day 5 days a week for radiation, no work for 2 months, no food for 2 months, lost 30 lbs, lost several jobs I had lined up, no savings, no insurance, an $8000 pet scan after treatments end, no paycheck for 2 months and most probably another month of recovery before I can gain enough weight and strength to go back to work. looking at the bright side of things... there's all that money I've saved by not eating for 2 months. on the bad side.. chance of developing cancer again is 50% the first year. oh yeah.. there's the diabetes I now have to deal with. consider yourself one lucky guy having friends like that.

[motion]

John, you must be one strong mo-fo. You seem to have a great attitude considering what you've been through. Kudos to you and keep the chin up. I can only imagine.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Neilk

I had a long answer typed out but a Pelican DB error wiped it out.

Basically, hospital bills are very negotiable.

Very true. My last hospital bill was for $18,000 and the ins paid $1800. That's right, not a typo. I paid a small co-payment. There were some ancillary bills, of course.

I would recommend that Kevin first settle the amount of the bill and how he is going to pay it. At that point, if he needs help, we're all here. Now, he says that he doesn't need our help THATbadly. But, we can make sure we recommend his shop and send our own work up there. Right now, I'll bet Kevin would like a nice flow of little jobs like spot painting and painting bumpers (fiberglass or metal) to match. That's good quick lucrative cash, better than a full blown restoration job, IMO and .02.

BTW I see nothing wrong will the proposed site. I too would return any winnings. I'm guessing right now 23K. Let me know where to send the 2 bucks (or whatever the donation is). I'm sure I'm good for multiple guesses as well.

Glad to see you're up and getting around, Kevin.

Kevin: You talk about how much you appreciate knowing who your friends are here in the Pelican Community. Now it's time to put your stubborn pride aside and let your friends be friends. This is what "friends" do when someone needs a little help. I know you wouldn't hesitate helping a friend move a 'fridge, you didn't hesitate when my assistant dinged the door on her new car. You didn't charge her a thing for that. I know just recently you offered to fix someones car when they crashed it on Thanksgiving Day, just because he is a "friend". I'd be more offended if a friend refused my offer to do something for them. Life sometimes throws us a curve that we are not prepared for. Your recent health issue was just one of those curves. Don't let it do more damage than it has to.
I have your address and there is a check in the mail to you. You will honor my offer to help and I won't have it any other way if you value my friendship as you say you do.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by DrBarrett356

Kevin: You talk about how much you appreciate knowing who your friends are here in the Pelican Community. Now it's time to put your stubborn pride aside and let your friends be friends. This is what "friends" do when someone needs a little help. I know you wouldn't hesitate helping a friend move a 'fridge, you didn't hesitate when my assistant dinged the door on her new car. You didn't charge her a thing for that. I know just recently you offered to fix someones car when they crashed it on Thanksgiving Day, just because he is a "friend". I'd be more offended if a friend refused my offer to do something for them. Life sometimes throws us a curve that we are not prepared for. Your recent health issue was just one of those curves. Don't let it do more damage than it has to.
I have your address and there is a check in the mail to you. You will honor my offer to help and I won't have it any other way if you value my friendship as you say you do.

Bravo! Now, if 100 of us each contribute 100...Like I said, where do I send the check, who do I make it payable to? DrBarrett...PM me the info, please...

(edit) Also, I'm sure Kevin won't mind if I use him as an example to us all, since he hinted at it...

My health insurance is a joke for routine care...the first $5K spent in any year comes right out of my pocket. BUT around two hundred per month protects me from losing everything if a medical catastrophe strikes.

Never underestimate the resourcefullness and the tenacity of a 13yo when there is a new play station at stake!
A quick Google search reveals that KevinP73 uses this handle on You Tube and e-bay. If you research his seller history you will discover his pay pal account is "KevinP73@hotmail.com"
His last name is Mentzer and his address is in his Pelican signature.
All of this information can be found in "Public" places and shouldn't be considered as a violation of privacy.

[KevinP73]

Although I am not completely comfortable accepting donations I have been severly scolded for being too stubborn and too proud to let my friends do what friends do.

A paypal account has been set up and will accept donations for a very limited time. A good friend has also made a site offering a prize to the person who most accurately guess' the total bill. Word of mouth will be the only publicity I'll allow for this site so share that with others if you choose.

The paypal account is my hotmail address. KevinP73@hotmail.com
The site is located http://www.guessthecost.com
Thank You for your concerns and donations.

[Joeaksa]

Already over 100 visits to the website!

[arcsine]

accept good

We generally do a poor job of allowing others to give to us with out embarrassment or a feeling of now 'owing them'.

Accept the kindness of others sincerely.