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

That's a great point, you have a total of 4 choices then. Due to the nature of your work you are probably in the minority that researches these things but I had a few choices with the same provider that offered drastically differing networks.

A minimal amount of research is required that people simply won't do. I think you made another great point about small companies. I make employment choices based on these things. The company where I had the biggest choice was a huge company.

It is very frustrating to me when I see people buying new luxury cars or $25K italian bikes without health insurance.

 

Do you have any evidence that he can pay this bill?

The top reason for people to file for bankruptcy is health bills. Most of those people also have health insurance. FTW!

 

You made the claim "Drew Calver will likely have to go through bankruptcy to clean this debt up. "

What is your reasoning and facts to back that up. I have reasoning and facts on my side saying you are full of **** but just curious how you plan to defend your BS.

 

And that's done with affordable insurance so people can get preventive care.

Healthcare costs has gone up because people are living longer

 

It is a personal anecdote that expresses my frustration of something I saw first hand to illustrate people not taking their coverage seriously. Not a straw man at all. Hospitals and doctors in network is very easy information to access when shopping plans.

 

I had an emergency surgery. I had an infection caused by high blood sugar that weakens the immune system.

Im diabetic and was taking insulin but wasn't taking enough because i hadn't realized i needed to take more than first prescribed.

Anyway they had to remove a golf ball sized abscess from my esophagus. Total was $108K, $50K was diagnostics.

Next time you're on I10 by Memorial Hermann by the mall, pay attention to the number of diagnostic clinics within a couple of miles of the hospital just along the highway. There are plenty more along the backstreets.

That being said if the technology is there to improve what they are looking then its understable doctors using it. They're trying to get you well not running up the score.

 

On procedure costs, one thing the ACA tries to do is get information on procedure cost hospital by hospital because there can be huge differences and more public information can help the market decide costs instead what seems random sometimes

 

I've been self-employed for the past 4 years. I was talking about when I was employed, so I don't have that 4th option, and one of our 3 options is so incredibly expensive, I wouldn't call it an option, as the hospital doesn't want the plan, so it is almost entirely out of pocket. They raised the out of pocket on the plan we had by double (despite the actual cost of the plan not going up by much) and now we have the new HDHP they started offering this year because it costs us less even though it costs the hospital more because they pay so much more towards this plan.

I really hate everything to do with how health insurance works. She also works part-time at a college, which she hopes to move to full-time, which does offer more insurance options, at least as of the last open enrollment period. I just miss my health insurance covering something towards my son's medication.

And yes, too many people that can't afford health insurance can't afford it because they choose to afford other things. It makes sense though, relatively low risk for most, and if something happens, chances are many will never actually pay for the emergency care they receive. The hospital will eat the cost, GoFundMe will cover it, or they will end up on a government program that pays it.

 

That is debatable.

I have no problem with hospitals charging at their discretion when the patient is in a position to make a choice. My problem is in the case of an emergency, when the patient has no choice in declining treatment and then is saddled with a ridiculous bill afterwards, when others (like in-network patients) are charged considerable less.

 

That isn't what happened in this story.

I'm not saying I love the current system at all. You and pgabs brought up drug prices which is a massive government failure. We've all accepted that cars cost relatively more, communications, entertainment etc. IMO medical care is second only to housing and food in necessity and the technology has advanced just as greatly. This guy's home is valued over 1.2 million, how much do you think he is paying for his plan? He could have brought it up to the school, researched his spouses plan. We are crying for this guy?

 

You have no reasoning or facts, at all.

How is this person going to pay an unexpected 100K bill? You did not answer.

This would be my facts. I personally know someone who had to file for bankruptcy from a single trip to the ER for his kid. A 24 hour visit cost him $25K. I realize that this is an anecdote.

I have included an article that back this claim up.

---

This Is the No. 1 Reason Americans File for Bankruptcy

When we think about consumer debt, we tend to point a finger at folks for whom shopping sprees are a way of life. But the real reason a large number of Americans wind up in financial trouble has nothing to do with self-indulgence or an inability to resist temptation. Rather, it's a matter of medical debt.

 

To back up the claim that specifically "Drew Calver will likely have to go through bankruptcy to clean this debt up." you have that article?

Nothing say, specifically about Drew Calver, his finances or ability to pay, his recourse of this debt getting relieved, his assets?

That's it? I don't think you really understand what reasoning is, because you just displayed none. That's amazin'

 

You think a High School teacher can cover an unexpected $100K bill?

I did not think that I went out on a limb, by saying that he could not. From the original NPR article, the guy implied that the medical bill would be a burden. Again, not a surprise for a High School teacher.

 

From the article:
What gives: St. David's Medical Center is billing Calver for the $108,951.31 balance — an amount nearly twice his annual pay as a teacher.

The hospital's billing company sent a notice June 26, urging him to take advantage of this "FINAL opportunity to settle your balance."

"They're going to give me another heart attack stressing over this bill," Calver said. "I can't pay this bill on my teacher salary, and I don't want this to go to a debt collector."

 

Yeah I'm sure you didn't expect anyone to actually critically read your posts.

I missed the word bankruptcy there or a probability of it happening. How can he afford a 1.2 million dollar house on a teachers salary? I did notice all collection attempts ceased which brings that probability down to nill tho.

"St. David's said collection efforts were put on hold, and a hospital representative called Calver, offering to help him apply for a discount based on his income."

 

If you cant pay a bill the bankruptcy is a definite possibility.

Collections were put on hold i.e. suspended does not change the fact that he still owes them money and given there is no information on what discount they are offering and if he will be able to pay it, the incumbent fact that he claims he cant pay the bill remains valid and your claim that probability of bankruptcy is zero is the one without basis

Update: seems hospital reduced his bill to $800 (likely due to pressure from press coverage) https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/au...09k-surprise-medical-bill-after-it-goes-viral

 

"Drew Calver will likely have to go through bankruptcy to clean this debt up."
-No Worries


LMAO you people live in a fantasy land.

 

You do know that you can tell a debt collector to stop contacting you in person or by phone, and they have to comply, right?