Life-Threatening Heart Attack Leaves Teacher With $108,951 Bill

What about the out of pocket max cap? Does it not apply here?

 

am i wrong to think that there is an out of pocket max due to Obama care? Something like 6000-7000 per person? At least I believe that is on my plan?

 

So this is the doctors and hospitals charging the $100+ for a procedure, not the insurance company??

Single payer wouldn't change their billings they would just have us pay the same through higher taxes.

What needs to be dealt with is the crazy cost acceleration due to lack of competition in healthcare. Regualatory
and licensing overreach is bankrupting America. Whether we are paying, our company is paying or the government
is paying doesn't make a difference as its the price inflation that is killing us.

 

$40K for two stints versus $2.3K, the median price.

Drew Calver will likely have to go through bankruptcy to clean this debt up.

Any guesses which lobbies run the national health care debate?

 

The article seems to imply that St. Luke's bill out of network insurance companies more than what they bill usually.

I don't know whether that's because they want to discourage out of network patients or get more money from insurance companies. Though both seem plausible.

If there is only one single insurance company (the government), then there is no reason for the hospitals to play these games. The government would have the bargaining power of setting a flat price for a certain procedure (+adjustments for local of living). The hospitals would have to play ball since the government would be by far the largest insurer in that case.

 

This is a non issue.... set up Go Fund Me page. Duh

 

His health insurance should have an out of pocket maximum.

Shame on Austin ISD if that is not standard in all their plans.

 

Bankruptcy is preferable to the socializm.

 

Hospitals can lobby Congress to get special bankruptcy protections for medical bills (like school loans). FTW!

St. David's Medical Center wants that $109K. it would be a shame if something happed to that guy's family.

 

Doesn't apply for out of Network. My tier 1 & 2 providers are $6,500 per person, but my tier 3? No max out of pocket.

Rising costs are the big issue, but single payer would be more efficient (but not the only solution needed). Still, nobody should be stuck with major medical bills because of something that isn't their fault. I personally am happy for regulation and licensing in my healthcare field. It needs some adjustment, but it isn't like we can afford not to regulate health services.

There is a certain irony in the I can't believe hospitals can charge that much, and then demand less regulation as if people can shop around emergency medical care.

 

Sounds like his crappy teachers union health insurance precluded him from the protections the great state of Texas has put in place to prevent balance billing in emergencies. You really have to research and choose your plans wisely. Such a narrow network is a real problem. Everyone should check their plans and see where they have emergency and hospital coverage. If it is literally one hospital like this guy possibly had, change if you have an option or speak up.

People do more research on their phone purchases than their freaking health services. I have several options and as I ride a motorcycle I made a more expensive selection even though I am in great health.

 

Nothing like looking at those insurance discount lines on a hospital bill. When my daughter was born, we had one for over $5K, that was billed at $0 because of the insurance. How discounts alone can make a bill $0 is beyond me (there were other bills where the hospital received money from us and the insurance company).

 

The nature of employer provided health insurance is to give little choice. My health insurance is from a small local company that is so small, I can call their main line and talk to the same person every time.

 

He is middle class with a nice home, a pension, and the collection efforts stopped as soon as a reporter called. Do you have any evidence he is likely to go through bankruptcy?

I don't think I have ever been with a company that didn't provide at least 2 plans to choose. I have had up to a choice of 5.

 

In the case of emergency care, something needs to be put in place to prevent extortion by the hospital e.g. same billing must apply to both in and out of network patients

 

My employers did not, but they were small business where choice is rare.

My wife's employer is a hospital. We have 3 choices, all of which are the same provider, with the same network (at least no noticeable difference). I want to go to the hospital, my Tier 1 options are my wife's employer... I want urgent care, my wife's employer.

It's actually cheaper to pay cash prices elsewhere than to use my insurance for non-emergent or preventative care. And to think is only a $25,000 policy!