General Discussion

Ruby the Liberal

(26,650 posts)

26. "Invisible Providers"

Sun Sep 21, 2014, 09:42 AM

Sep 2014

Its the latest rage.

Where I live, the ER is outsourced. The Docs are not employed by the hospital and do not accept any insurance. They direct bill, you call your insurance company, your insurance company sends you a fraction of the bill, you send them that money. Then (in my case), they send followup bills demanding the rest of the money or they will send you to collections. Then, you call the insurance company back and they send a second check - but you have to wait - because they won't cut a second check until the first check has cleared.

I went through this on 3 separate occasions this past year. The more it pissed me off, the more determined I was that I would not give them a damn dime as I paid my obligation AT the hospital per my insurance.

Add to that all of the phantom "providers" whose services are tacked on to these bills - and it is overwhelming. One visit, I saw 1 guy for all of 15 minutes total but was billed for physician services for 3.

Currently, I have a draft about this "invisible provider" issue ready to send to my state's AG office to file a complaint, but need to get the finishing touches. This thread just motivated me to dig that back up and start the editing process.

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Read This: After Surgery, Surprise $117,000 Medical Bill From Doctor He Didn�t Know [View all] cali Sep 2014 OP

Just one more reason why US healthcare is the most expensive in the world! B Calm Sep 2014 #1

All the ridiculous greed and not the best! n/t RKP5637 Sep 2014 #35

should be illegal JI7 Sep 2014 #2

That's some baaaad "insurance." WinkyDink Sep 2014 #3

I would think bad freeloading doctor. . B Calm Sep 2014 #4

actually, if you read the piece, BC actually paid up for the entire sham bill cali Sep 2014 #5

Yeah ... They are suing the doctors that engage in these "drive-by doctoring" ... 1StrongBlackMan Sep 2014 #25

This is a case where insurers actually have been battling for the consumers pnwmom Sep 2014 #65

I would tell.. sendero Sep 2014 #6

there's an equally- if not even more- outrageous story at the link. cali Sep 2014 #7

At the link you learn the assistant surgeon was out of network. Scary story, B Calm Sep 2014 #8

you are welcome. I find it frightening too- and infuriating. cali Sep 2014 #12

Or two years. To me $117,000 is a shitload of moola. JEB Sep 2014 #62

This happened to my wife Uben Sep 2014 #9

PA's can bill Sgent Sep 2014 #10

They were quick to drop the charge... Uben Sep 2014 #18

PA's are not 'studying to be doctors'. Aristus Sep 2014 #46

But you aren't doctors, and you aren't surgeons. Otherwise, you'd have the titles. nt MADem Sep 2014 #51

Yes. The title is 'Surgical PA.' Aristus Sep 2014 #54

They are not paid as MD/DOs. In fact, Medicare pays PAs less than 15% of a physician's Allowable Hoyt Sep 2014 #58

Thank you for that. Aristus Sep 2014 #59

I have found that PAs often take the time to actually listen to the patient. Frustratedlady Sep 2014 #74

While I'm rarely allotted more than 15 minutes per patient, I do take as much time as possible Aristus Sep 2014 #97

I agree with you completely. It is outright theft and nothing but. cali Sep 2014 #11

It is theft and fraud. joshcryer Sep 2014 #31

An orthopaedic surgeon operated on his NECK ?? pangaia Sep 2014 #13

Yes. An orthopedic surgeon operated on his NECK. Aristus Sep 2014 #47

A neurosurgeon. pangaia Sep 2014 #82

That's why the neurologist was involved MannyGoldstein Sep 2014 #56

That was my first thought, too. WillowTree Sep 2014 #64

i researched this when i was facing back surgery, and there is some overlap between orthopaedists dionysus Sep 2014 #96

We got 6 bills for our colonoscopy Doctor_J Sep 2014 #14

Our provider got wise to that racket. PeoViejo Sep 2014 #15

part of the problem is onethatcares Sep 2014 #16

And yet... Orrex Sep 2014 #22

I'm so sorry that you're having to deal with it mahina Sep 2014 #43

We were told that getting mandatory, for profit insurance SOLVED the problem. He's probably lying. Romulox Sep 2014 #17

When were you told that the ACA would end the practice ... 1StrongBlackMan Sep 2014 #30

Nonsense. We were told that the lack of mandatory, for-profit insurance WAS the problem. Romulox Sep 2014 #33

Nonsense is right! ... 1StrongBlackMan Sep 2014 #36

Thanks for the laugh. I forgot the "We need to see his tax return" from the Heritage Care Fan Club Doctor_J Sep 2014 #76

cali Diclotican Sep 2014 #19

I wish you the best of luck with your upcoming surgery, Diclotican cali Sep 2014 #21

cali Diclotican Sep 2014 #42

Best wishes with your surgery, Diclotican and... steve2470 Sep 2014 #90

steve2470 Diclotican Sep 2014 #92

Two words - 'single payer'. marble falls Sep 2014 #20

Freeloading doctors will still be charging us. B Calm Sep 2014 #98

IMO, they are committing fraud and should not only not get paid Crunchy Frog Sep 2014 #23

It makes me wonder if there is some fine print in those release forms he signed justiceischeap Sep 2014 #28

read the whole article. this is a widespread practice- and fine print or not, it's theft. cali Sep 2014 #32

I've had this happen to me twice. lisby Sep 2014 #24

Check you credit report yeoman6987 Sep 2014 #40

"Invisible Providers" Ruby the Liberal Sep 2014 #26

you must not have gotten the memo Doctor_J Sep 2014 #39

You've yet to explain how you get Lieberman to vote for more. jeff47 Sep 2014 #94

Holy Damn! TM99 Sep 2014 #53

That would be it Ruby the Liberal Sep 2014 #57

I never had a bill riverbendviewgal Sep 2014 #27

actually Obamacare is probably going to turn out to be worse than nothing Doctor_J Sep 2014 #38

Odd that the state of Vermont thinks otherwise nt karynnj Sep 2014 #41

Actually, it moved us closer. It was almost 20 years after Hillary Care was shot down, for anyone Hoyt Sep 2014 #61

Mandating that every man, woman, and child buy private insurance is NOT moving us closer Doctor_J Sep 2014 #63

Ask him and see what he says. My friend's 3 year old daughter says Obamacare rocks when she's sick. Hoyt Sep 2014 #69

Wait, did you reply to the wrong post? Doctor_J Sep 2014 #72

But that wasn't going to happen with the Republicans in Congress, and 3 year olds know it. Hoyt Sep 2014 #73

Now that IS a tricky one for a 5-year-old. Dem president, Dem senate, Dem house, Doctor_J Sep 2014 #77

Tell that to Vermont, where they are going ahead with single-payer pnwmom Sep 2014 #66

Canada did not get single payer all at one time, MoonchildCA Sep 2014 #67

They also never required for-profit insurance by law Doctor_J Sep 2014 #68

Get a non-profit plan. Hoyt Sep 2014 #70

Yes. It did. MoonchildCA Sep 2014 #71

It wouldn't happen without the ACA Sgent Sep 2014 #78

How do you get Lieberman to vote for single-payer? jeff47 Sep 2014 #95

My response to that would be The Wizard Sep 2014 #29

Guys, this is how a private market for healthcare will *always* work. What did you expect??? nt Romulox Sep 2014 #34

things will be better now that everyone has to buy private insurance Doctor_J Sep 2014 #37

It's medical providers like these, Aristus Sep 2014 #44

If we had single payer Ruby the Liberal Sep 2014 #50

Insane. If only we can get a Democratic president & a Democratic congress, this Karmadillo Sep 2014 #45

You know we one more step added to your list. nt Logical Sep 2014 #48

You would think democrats would be campaigning for this to impliment after the next election. Looks B Calm Sep 2014 #49

Er, the Dem WH and Congress are the ones who put this in place Doctor_J Sep 2014 #60

What isn't clear is exactly what is the contracted rate that the insurance company pays. It is still_one Sep 2014 #52

American exceptionalism Doctor_J Sep 2014 #75

No one is "happy" with it, but it's better than what we had by a long shot. Hoyt Sep 2014 #79

Really? The "thanks Obama" Heritage Care threads usually get dozens or hundreds of recs Doctor_J Sep 2014 #81

Bernie Sanders voted for it, the 40 million uninsured are now getting health care they didn't before still_one Sep 2014 #89

Only about 12 million are, and at the cost of a half-trillion dollar per year bribe to Big Insurance Doctor_J Sep 2014 #91

Well as long as people keep electing what they elect, yes still_one Sep 2014 #93

Where did I say I was happy with it? I just stated the way the game is set still_one Sep 2014 #87

Oh what a pile of #%^* we make, MannyGoldstein Sep 2014 #55

That is a perfect definition of our situation. Enthusiast Sep 2014 #86

they should name the blood sucker Liberal_in_LA Sep 2014 #80

This sounds like fraud. alarimer Sep 2014 #83

Did they plate the disc in solid gold? Vinca Sep 2014 #84

Kicked and recommended! Enthusiast Sep 2014 #85

The whole system is defective. bigwillq Sep 2014 #88