After Surgery, Surprise $117,000 Medical Bill From Doctor He Didn’t Know
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/21/us/drive-by-doctoring-surprise-medical-bills.html-snip-
Before his three-hour neck surgery for herniated disks in December, Peter Drier, 37, signed a pile of consent forms. A bank technology manager who had researched his insurance coverage, Mr. Drier was prepared when the bills started arriving: $56,000 from Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, $4,300 from the anesthesiologist and even $133,000 from his orthopedist, who he knew would accept a fraction of that fee.
He was blindsided, though, by a bill of about $117,000 from an assistant surgeon, a Queens-based neurosurgeon whom Mr. Drier did not recall meeting.
I thought I understood the risks, Mr. Drier, who lives in New York City, said later. But this was just so wrong I had no choice and no negotiating power.
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NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)I'm still fighting some charges, but most were covered. And yes, the bills are steep.
Partial list of claims and charges for one medical incident and a subsequent infection and readmission, most covered up to my max out of pocket but still fighting.
$370,068.00
$150,323.30
$27,029.86 ---- Denied LifeFlight transportation from ER to qualified surgical facility. Fighting this denial.
$19,461.40
$16,120.00
$8,866.00
$8,223.00
$8,160.00
$7,220.00
$6,316.80
$6,316.80
$6,316.80
$6,316.80
$6,316.80
$6,316.80
$3,420.00
$2,732.91
$2,500.00
$2,299.00
$1,280.00
$1,250.00
$1,096.00
ACA for an individual at about $800/month less than prior plan.
quadrature
(2,049 posts)I don't want to be involved in
paying for New York doctors.
people in NY can do that
area51
(11,919 posts)is single-payer. GingrichCare won't cut it.
Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)Welcome to heritage/Gingrich/Obamacare, our lot for the foreseeable future. And by the way, this is "the best we can do", and will immortalize Obama.