I need help paying a medical bill.

I had a spider bite on my leg that was looking a little infected. I did not have insurance at the time and was told the only place that would take me without $80 entrance fee was the hospital. I went to the hospital and asked the best place to get care without an appointment and no insurance, they sent me to ER. I waited in the lobby for about an hour, they then slapped a bandage over the wound (didnt clean, dis-infect, anything) then gave me a perscription and sent me home, told me to come bkack in 2 days for a follow up and a tetnis shot. I came back they gave me another bandaid and a tetnis shot. I got $600.00 in charges. I broke down the itemized bill and it came out to the following: $2.00 for bandages, $66.50 for tetnis shot, $25.00 for injecting the shot, and $500.00 for professional fees. I disputed the charges and they reviewed and deemed them fit, now they are sueing me for the money, I know I am getting robbed. Please Help!!!!!

i went to the hospital and had to have an emergency surgey that left me with a colostomy bag,i didnt ask for it they said it was a matter of life or death,now 6 months later they tell me they will not remove it due tot he fact i only have 80%insurance!the longer this stays in me the more chance i have of never being able to function on my own,were can i get help?i am 38 i can not work i have been on pain pills for over 10 years i had back surgery and had some disc removed,i am in pain 24/7,please if any one out there has ever had a colostomy bag then you what i am going thur i need this removed

I gave birth to my 4th Son 4 years ago, When i got my bill I almost ended up in the hospital from a heartattack! Sooo I asked for an itemized list and about freaked, They had charged me 22.00 for witch hazel pads...BTW someone had accidently left the hospitals price tag on them and it was only 3.99. I took the list and what containers I could salvage that still had tags on them and went to the billing department with them. Before giving brth I asked that the C-section kit be removed from the room previous to my arrival, They put the kit in the hallway out side the door. I never needed it (and honestly I would have been moved to OR if I had needed it) I was billed for the kit a whopping 300.00! I confronted billing on this practice as well. By the time I wash finished working my way down the list, I owed 700.00 less. Hospitals screw you. Because they know you NEED to be there when youre there, you don't have a choice but to pay...What has happened to our hospitals...greedy bastards.

HI, MY HUSBAND HAD TO HAVE EMERGENCY SURGURY IN MARCH OF 2006. WE HAD INSURANCE AND IT PAID ALOT BUT NOT ALL AND HE SPENT 3 WEEKS IN THERE SO I LOST MY JOB AND HE HAS HAD TO RETURN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH COMPLICATIONS SINCE THEN. THEY HAVE TURN ONE BILL OVER TO A LAWYER WHO IS SAYING THEY ARE GOING TO PUT A JUDGEMENT ON ME .CAN THEY TAKE MY HOME . MY HUSBAND IS FINALLY BACK TO WORK, BUT ONLY MAKES ENOUGH TO PAY NESSASATIES. WHAT CAN THEY DO LEGALLY. NEED HELP IN FLA THE BILL IS FOR 15,000 DOLLARS THANKS

I feel real bad for anyone that can't afford medical. We live in the United states, home of the Free and Proud. Everybody should be getting medical and medications for every level of income. But I am finding out that this just isn't so. I left work early because 2 of my disc's in my neck ruptured and had to have surgury. No longer working I had to pay $181. a month to keep my insurance active. When I went in to make a payment my work said I had to pay $1600.00 a month to keep my insurance active. I didn't have that kind of money so I didn't pay. I have 2 children and on my own. I am only getting a little of money from my disability, not enough to support us on though, but ACCESS claims I'm making too much to get approved, but I can barley make my bill payments, morgage, car insurance. The cost of living is so high but you have to almost me living on the streets to be able to qualify for Medical Assistance's or have 5 or 6 children. What about us that don't have 5 or 6 children, but 1 or 2 and are living single, where do we fit into the system? Any ways I'll say a prayer for you and your family. Not much else I can do. Good luck

Hello, I have read many of the posts above and am very familiar with many of these situations. Unfortunatley, medical and hospital billing overcharges are at an alarming rate of 89% and uninsured people tend to take the hardest hit. Americans spend over $10 billion dollars a year due to medical Overcharges & Errors. You as a health care consumer can make a difference for yourself and your family. Get your medical bills reviewed by a professional BEFORE you pay them. You can also have medical expenses assessed and negotiated BEFORE you have a procedure done. All of this information, and these help services are available at: www.GorillaBill.com You can have a Risk-Free Medical Bill Review. That means, it won't cost you a cent to have a professional tell you what overcharges or errors are in your bill. Even better, they will deal with the hospital, provider's office and insurance carrier all on your behalf to get you the very best outcome. The GorillaBill.com Basic membership is free too and offers many tips to guide you and connect you with the people that can help Our goal to help people and make a positive change in American Health Care! Please visit us.
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I just recieved ER bills totaling $3,000.00 for my 20 yr old son who was taken to the ER for 3 stitches. I'm interested in the "in house audit" mentioned above. Does the hospital do that?

ok STOP! and read this. i am a debt collector. you have rights, and you don't know those right, and YES they have been violated...several times it sounds like. Time to educate yourself. DO NOT pay the scumbags another cent! You have a valid dispute on the hospital charges, and you can have an audit done in house first and foremost. Start recording your calls to and from the hospital and any collectors. For God sake do not go back to the same hospital! Ask for charity assistance at any hospital FIRST and see what they can do for you. Don't be a victim take ACTION!!!!! Repeated documented harrassment for a 3rd party collector is ground for dismissal of all charges if you have a lot of evidence to support it. If you want more help email me jacobplaut@yahoo.com GOD BLESS

Dear Mom of 3: Please Post your city and state of residence on your profile so you may be directed to resources accessible to you. Miss Teri is correct about Hospital care. To find a hospital or clinic which participates in providing free or low cost healthcare under the Hill-Burton Act go to web site. Re: old er bill. Why is the vehicle insurance not covering this? Re: The lawyer who was so rude and refused payment arrangements. See: Nova Debt info/debt collector specific laws. Non compliance on their part and you may report them to the FTC. Being a family of 5, money must be tight. I hope wherever you reside you are accessing the utility assistance programs in your area. See: LIHEAP page Also, Please seek out Soulight's aidpages for help w/EVERYTHING. Blessings, Elaine
http://www.hrsa.gov/hillburton /
http://www.novadebt.org/pdfs/e ducation/fair_debt.pdf
http://liheap.ncat.org/sp.htm

Hi Momof3girls, There are hospitals that are strictly for profit and then there are hospitals that are there to take the uninsured or underinsured. It sounds like you are dealing with a hospital that has no interest in dealing with someone who does not have insurance. Many of the profit types will send uninsured patients elsewhere even when in an ambulance if the patient does not have a life threatening situation. I don't know where you are located but you should check for your into your nearest community hospital or hospital being sponsored by state funds for those are the ones that usually offer sliding scales or indiginent care. I know where I live, many cannot even see a doctor without first paying unless you go to a community hospital.

Thanks, I really appreciate all your guys' thoughts and advice. I haven't heard from the lawyers office since I filed the complaint with the BBB last year. I filed my complaint, he filed an answer, I filed my answer to him and it went unresponded to after that (despite the BBB requesting a response 3 times). The complaint was closed, in "my" favor (meaning the BBB didn't feel the matter had been resolved and his office got the BBB "strike"). But, like I said, they haven't asked me for any more money since. However, I did have to go to the ER back in February again. I was bit by a dog at work (I'm a volunteer at my local animal shelter as I got a grant to cover the cost of home-schooling for animal medicine so volunteering at my shelter helps me get hands on experience). Anyway. I got attacked by this dog back in February and had to go the ER for care. They still had me in the system from the accident and checked me in on that info. I sat in the waiting room for 4 hours before being called back to the exam room. And I sat there for 3 more hours before I left. I don't know why I wasn't seen but I really feel like they just refused to see me. So I hope I don't ever have a life or death emergency cause I don't think they'd see me.

For one thing, if you have no money to pay they are suppose to make arrangements out with you to get the balance down. Even if it is a little bit they are suppose to go by your income and not make judgements on why you went to the ER that is not there business to judge you. Get a prepaid legal attorney and take further action. Hospitals are suppose to help you out and give you a discount even you have unisured insurance. Which means if you have no health insurance they are suppose to help you out.

ok...can someone help me? i need to have surgery, but i have no insurance or way to pay the hospital and all the third party charges(surgeon ect.) what do i do? i work full time(well about 60 hours a week) but they do not offer insurance i have beenhere for seven years so i am stable. i have 2 boys and they are on chips insurance. i just need some option for help so i can have this surgery. any help would be greatly appreciated. oh yeah one more thing i called medicaid office and i make to much money you cant more $188 a MONTH! Frustrated in texas

Iknow exactly what you are going through. I am in a similar situation. I am a mom of 3 boys. I can't get any help with the medical supplies that I need. I have a bad back and am unable to work. We depend on my fiance's income to survive. We also recieve food stamps & WIC. I was told that we made too much money to qualify for Medicaid. We are constantly trying to figure out how we are going to pay the bills. My fiance only gets paid twice a month. When I go to the doctor, I have to travel 1 to 2 hours just to see the neurosurgeon. I have to go once a week too! I am so sorry that there isn't anything that I can do to help. I was wondering if there was any websites or anything that you know of that might help?

We can help.. contact us at www.hcmediation.com t hanks
Medical Bill

hello, i read your message online. I know that its been 8 months since you wrote that, but in most states the law is that as long as you pay something-as long as its at least 5 dollars every 28 days-they cannot do anything to you. they can send you harassing letters, call and harass you, but they cannot sue you as long as you pay something. my mom paid 5 dollars a month when i broke my arm and they sent harassing letters, and phone calls, but they cannot do anything to you. just make sure that they have the payment in their hand and you get a receipt or something saying what day you paid and how much, and keep ALL of them together. I recommend going to the Post Office and buying money orders. They can be traced for as little as $7 and they can even tell you who signed them to get them cashed. I hope this helps you, and anyone else who reads it. Good luck to all. I know how you feel. My husband lost his job 3 weeks ago. Money is starting to get very very tight.....just enough to pay the bare necessities............

Try this. Prop 99 Tobacco Tax and Health Protection Act.Cigarette And Tobacco Tax Benefit Fund. if you go to the ER with no ins prop 99 will pay for it,,,Ask the billing rep at the hosp..

Momof3, I would really check into those hospital charges. I hate to go to the ER so much, because 9 times out of 10, you will be screwed out of so much time and money. They know that you can't afford it when you tell them you don't have insurance, so they take it upon themselves to charge whatever in the hell they want to charge.It should be against the law! One day hopefull something will be done about it. GOOD LUCK!!

Momof3, I don't know if you are still reading this, but here is my advice to you: Continue to try and send payments, no matter how small, each month with a letter stating your intent to pay the amount in full. Offer to give them any other information they need to draw up a payment plan. Even if they send you payments back, continue to try and send payment EVERY month. Make copies of everything you send, and if you can afford to send it registered, then do so. If they do end up trying to take you to court, a judge will look at all of this as a honest attempt to make payment. As someone else said previously, I don't know what state you are in that their law permits this kind of activity, but this is crazy. I settled a $25000 debt with an insurance company without going to court and without having to pay interest by sending them a notarized letter promising to pay $100 a month. They had to accept it. Good luck!! Don't let them bully you!

Thanks for your thoughts guys. I wrote them another letter but they haven't responded to me yet. I did send them $20 once as a payment and it was returned to me with a note that said full payment only will be accepted. It's not going to the hospital anymore. They sent it to an attorney's office so I'm dealing with them. I tried to call the hospital to see if they had some kind of program for low income families and they said they only offer assistance if the majority of the bill was paid by an insurance company. But since I don't have insurance I'm responsible for the entire amount. I called some debt consolidation place to see if they could help and they are discussing it now, I guess. The biggest problem was the charges. I mean, the hospital charged $45 for the work excuse they gave my husband because it was my right ankle I broke and I sure couldn't drive myself to the hospital considering I'd need my right foot to drive with!!! And then they charged me $315 for crutches (which I never even took for that exact reason-my brother had just had knee surgery a few months earlier so I knew he had crutches I could use). And I asked for an explanation of the $500 surgical supplies charge because I didn't have surgery so I didn't understand why I was being charged for that. And when I got their they gave me two Ibuprofen tabs and charged me $50 for them (500mg each and it was $25 a pill???) The hospital new upfront I didn't have insurance so I'm wondering if the charges weren't a result of that. It's not like an insurance company was going to argue the charges!!! So anyway. I called a debt place and he said they would try to get the final payment lowered up to 80%. It's been a couple weeks yet so I don't know what's going on. I do appreciate your thoughts though; thank you so much for taking the time out to talk to me!!!

Momof3girls, you DO have right to go to doctor! The person who told you that you have no right on a first place is not only rude and immoral, but also totally wrong! You made a mistake when you told them that you couldn’t pay. They understood that you wouldn’t pay (regardless what did you explain to them). As far as I understood, you owe them around $2400. If that is correct, what you need to do is talk with them again and tell them: ‘I want to pay my bill and I’m ready to do it right now. I can’t give you the entire sum, but I can afford servicing my account by paying $100 a month.’ Do not explain anything else. They obviously don’t care for your situation anyway. If anybody (e.g. collection) calls you and ask about the payment, simply answer the same thing. I hope you can afford $100 a month, because I don’t believe they will agree on less than that. You are not the only case in this respect, and they do have ways to accept payments like that.