Medical Bills

[D'Highlander]

My 7 month old daughter was born with a major VSD that was repaired back in December. The Cardiologist recommended she take an RSV vaccine. So we have been doing that once every 4 weeks since October. I get a phone call from them yesterday saying we owe them over $5000 after the insurance has paid. We have yet to see a bill from them (the makers of the shot) The call was to tell us about a program they had to help pay off the debt. But we haven't seen a bill. The lady said it takes time to send the bills out... you know they are making money like crazy if they can make a product in October and not ask for payment till late March.

No one ever told us the shots were that expensive... we would go to the clinic and pay our BCBS co pay and we thought that was it. Obviously not.

Our medical system is so jacked up...

[Macarthur]

Our system is very problematic. I feel your pain. My wife had a cervical fusion in April of last year and I just found out about a couple of bills one month ago when they threatened to report it to the credit bureaus. I would have paid them had I knew I owed them.

This is a very complicated and nuanced debate that some folks will simply want to use 'bumper sticker' soundbites such as 'American has the best healthcare system in the world'...etc. Unfortunately, that won't solve our problem. Our current system is 100% unsustainable. And there are lots of folks to blame - Doctors, Insurance Companies, The Government and us consumers.

One of the big problems, IMO, is that there is no competition allowed in the system and people don't know what is charged for items because they are a secondary payor source. If there were full disclosure about rates and people were able to shop for medical care in something resembling a true marketplace, we would have some control. Right now, the control lies with the medical industrial complex and insurance companies.

[44INAROW]

My 7 month old daughter was born with a major VSD that was repaired back in December. The Cardiologist recommended she take an RSV vaccine. So we have been doing that once every 4 weeks since October. I get a phone call from them yesterday saying we owe them over $5000 after the insurance has paid. We have yet to see a bill from them (the makers of the shot) The call was to tell us about a program they had to help pay off the debt. But we haven't seen a bill. The lady said it takes time to send the bills out... you know they are making money like crazy if they can make a product in October and not ask for payment till late March.

No one ever told us the shots were that expensive... we would go to the clinic and pay our BCBS co pay and we thought that was it. Obviously not.

Our medical system is so jacked up...

that does suck and you're right - the system has MAJOR flaws.. pay them $10 a month - they have to accept it and it's my understanding, as long as you're making payments in a timely manner, they can't report you. I'd also call BCBS and ask if any of the shots were filed.. and if so, was the amount not paid applied to your out of pocket expense on the policy. all policies differ but it might be worth a phone call ( be patient - they take forever to answer the call sometimes, they are worse than DirecTV lol) what pisses me off they (broad stroke I know) won't (most places) send itemized bills - just a note that you owe $5,000.....

I hope your baby is better, our grandson from Florida was visiting with his parents lol for Christmas. He was 2 1/2 months old and was sick the whole time they were here - he had RSV and took breathing treatments for 5 weeks. He's finally better but it took a toll on his little body :(

[D'Highlander]

One of the big problems, IMO, is that there is no competition allowed in the system and people don't know what is charged for items because they are a secondary payor source. If there were full disclosure about rates and people were able to shop for medical care in something resembling a true marketplace, we would have some control. Right now, the control lies with the medical industrial complex and insurance companies.

I agree 100%. But until focus shifts from making money to helping people nothing will change.

[D'Highlander]

I hope your baby is better, our grandson from Florida was visiting with his parents lol for Christmas. He was 2 1/2 months old and was sick the whole time they were here - he had RSV and took breathing treatments for 5 weeks. He's finally better but it took a toll on his little body :(

My little one never caught it, it was all just in case. But the surgery went very well and she is a "normal" little baby now. Just a battle wound on her chest.

I highly recommend the Cooks Children's Hospital in Fort Worth...

[D'Highlander]

We hit max out of pocket right before the surgery in December but all that reset Jan 1st.

[D'Highlander]

My Little Angel

https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1921923_556429624455792_1932077274_n.jpg

[44INAROW]

We hit max out of pocket right before the surgery in December but all that reset Jan 1st.

Oh My Gosh - she's precious!!!


damn, I wasn't thinking, I should have known about the restart in January ggrrrr... I hate it when my brain zones out on me :helpme: our youngest has a battle wound on his chest too.. (he was a born early - 26 weeks and weighed 2 lbs 2 oz) he's going to be 26 on APril 4th - and just fine - he had a small hole in his heart that had to be repaired - like I said - he's fine now.. played 4 sports in school - hopfefully your daughter will do the same :)

[Macarthur]

I agree 100%. But until focus shifts from making money to helping people nothing will change.

I tend to agree. I know it's not a popular opinion, but I do not believe the profit motive is best for everything. I'm beginning to wonder if healthcare is one of the arenas where the profit motive is not the best model to provide the best healthcare.

[D'Highlander]

Oh My Gosh - she's precious!!!


our youngest has a battle wound on his chest too.. (he was a born early - 26 weeks and weighed 2 lbs 2 oz) he's going to be 26 on APril 4th - and just fine - he had a small hole in his heart that had to be repaired - like I said - he's fine now.. played 4 sports in school - hopfefully your daughter will do the same :)

Thank you for the kind words. It sounds like yours and mine had something similar. Mine had a Swiss Cheese VSD which is a bunch of holes in the wall between her ventricles causing too much blood to be pumped to her lungs.