[greglepore]

A couple of comments here-I refractured my right humerus in October after a cycling fall. Because I had a concussion, I went in as a trauma, even though I was conscious enough to request that the ambulance just transport me...oh well. Anyway, uninsured at the moment, for reasons I won't go into here.

Total bill from facility:65k plus for er, or and a 2 day stay.
Ortho 6k
Anesthesia-1500
Radiologist 1500.

What kills me is the variance in what they'll accept. Anesthesia was completely reasonable-they'd take 900 payable in installments if I wanted. About what they would get from local insurance rates.

Ortho-stupid and unreasonable. Offered to pay them immediately at Ins reimbursement rate. "No, we can't disclose that or do that, but we will take 50 bucks a month on the total INTEREST FREE until its paid off"-what does that tell you about the complete and utter unreasonableness of the quoted rate?? Pissed me off, paying them the 50/month. OUghta be a law requiring them to accept present value or something.

Radiologist-even more unreasonable. Balance in full, now. Not willing to discuss any self pay option.

Hospital-waiting to hear-they have some "program" for the uninsured that allegedly will "charitably" reduce your bill-likely I'll end up paying something like the 3rd party payor rate, but without them disclosing same and with me left feeling like they did me a favor-right.

The system needs transparency-the fiction that the insurance industry gets a volume discount is unjustifiable, it simply allows the actual cost to be hidden.

How a nation like ours has allowed such a fundamental right to get so f'ed up is beyond me.