Sunset
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Last July I fell down the basement stairs near 6pm.
My DW heard and came to see me crumpled on the floor.
I wasn't dying right then, so I said due to pain I should get xrays but not take the amublance as I could hobble to the car. I was concern about the cost of ambulance and hospital emergency.
We went to an Urgent care we know.
I got x-rays, antibiotics, narco, and bandages.
Good news nothing was broken, I was sore for weeks.
I just got the medical bill for for it (it was so slow I though it was fully covered):
Billed to BCBS $1,846.00
Insurance Covered -$470.72
Remaining Responsibility $1,375.28
Physician Services Billed $242.00
Insurance Covered $0.00
Your Balance $242.00
Total: $1,617.28
I called my insurance group, they said I didn't get a referral or prior approval...(would they have denied me?). I asked for an EOB, they said because it's HMO they don't send them to patients.
Had I gone for sprained ankle or stubbed toe, I would totally understand it's my fault for not going to see my doctor, but this was in my mind an emergency and my choice was hospital or urgent care as xrays were needed.
Two weeks later I saw my Doctor to ensure the bruising still showing wasn't internal bleeding.
We have BCBS HMO, both on same plan. The Urgent care is in DW's group network, but not in my group network, as we have different doctors (I think that's how it works).
But BCBS does consider the Urgent care in network as they affected (paid?) $420 towards center, none towards doctor cost.
Anything I can do to reduce the final costs to me ?
My DW heard and came to see me crumpled on the floor.
I wasn't dying right then, so I said due to pain I should get xrays but not take the amublance as I could hobble to the car. I was concern about the cost of ambulance and hospital emergency.
We went to an Urgent care we know.
I got x-rays, antibiotics, narco, and bandages.
Good news nothing was broken, I was sore for weeks.
I just got the medical bill for for it (it was so slow I though it was fully covered):
Billed to BCBS $1,846.00
Insurance Covered -$470.72
Remaining Responsibility $1,375.28
Physician Services Billed $242.00
Insurance Covered $0.00
Your Balance $242.00
Total: $1,617.28
I called my insurance group, they said I didn't get a referral or prior approval...(would they have denied me?). I asked for an EOB, they said because it's HMO they don't send them to patients.
Had I gone for sprained ankle or stubbed toe, I would totally understand it's my fault for not going to see my doctor, but this was in my mind an emergency and my choice was hospital or urgent care as xrays were needed.
Two weeks later I saw my Doctor to ensure the bruising still showing wasn't internal bleeding.
We have BCBS HMO, both on same plan. The Urgent care is in DW's group network, but not in my group network, as we have different doctors (I think that's how it works).
But BCBS does consider the Urgent care in network as they affected (paid?) $420 towards center, none towards doctor cost.
Anything I can do to reduce the final costs to me ?