WTF

[Brill Weave]

Long story short a few weeks ago I was extremely sick. Turns out I had viral bronchitis. So I went to the local hospital and filled out the paperwork and got my patient ID bracelet. I then waited three hours for them to see me. After I had been there the three hours, without being seen I asked them to check to see when I could be seen. They spoke to the head nurse and she said at least another two to three hours. Bear in mind the entire time they were sending in patients with physical injuries(sprained ankles etc) that were treated and released within an hour. Which is fine, I understand those are simple injuries that require simply fixes.

So I left and went to a different hospital that was able to get me into the ER in about an hour. They proceeded to give me a chest x-ray and a breathing treatment. And I'm out within two hours.

Fast forward to this week I get a bill from the hospital that helped me for a total of 25.00 dollars. I then get a bill from the hospital that was too busy to help me for a total of 100.00 dollars. I have no fucking intention of paying this bill because they didn't help me at all. So should I be calling their accounting department or administration? Has anyone experienced anything like this before?

[Jodwahh]

Wear and tear on waiting room seats is fucking expensive these days.

[Heian]

Long story short a few weeks ago I was extremely sick. Turns out I had viral bronchitis. So I went to the local hospital and filled out the paperwork and got my patient ID bracelet. I then waited three hours for them to see me. After I had been there the three hours, without being seen I asked them to check to see when I could be seen. They spoke to the head nurse and she said at least another two to three hours. Bear in mind the entire time they were sending in patients with physical injuries(sprained ankles etc) that were treated and released within an hour. Which is fine, I understand those are simple injuries that require simply fixes.

So I left and went to a different hospital that was able to get me into the ER in about an hour. They proceeded to give me a chest x-ray and a breathing treatment. And I'm out within two hours.

Fast forward to this week I get a bill from the hospital that helped me for a total of 25.00 dollars. I then get a bill from the hospital that was too busy to help me for a total of 100.00 dollars. I have no fucking intention of paying this bill because they didn't help me at all. So should I be calling their accounting department or administration? Has anyone experienced anything like this before?

You may be able to fight it with the administration seeing as how there was no treatment given, but they may try to nail you with the 100.00 for processing. See what they are saying the 100.00 dollars is paying for and that may help us understand better. If it says for "Medical Services Rendered" or something along those lines then you can fight it pretty easily as no services were rendered.

[Shuemue]

If you filled out their paperwork, etc.

[Seraph]

...and now you know which hospital to go to from now on.

[Bingbong]

In the end, lesson learned, don't go to the shit hospital anymore if you have the option.

[Olo401]

Don't pay them anything if they didn't treat you. In fact, I'd even file a formal complaint with your state's board of health services.

[Seraph]

Charge them your hourly wage against the number of hours they made you sit there. Payback is a bitch.

[jmc]

Don't pay them anything if they didn't treat you. In fact, I'd even file a formal complaint with your state's board of health services.

This ^^

They are probably charging $100 for a "screening process", which clearly failed because they took less severe cases in before you still.


If you want a good one, come to the local hospital near me!

I was not feeling good at work, pretty good chest pains.... so my partner drove me up to the hospital, I sat in the ER waiting room for 8 hours before being looked at by a doctor. Ya, 8 hours with chest pains.... would've sucked if I had a heart attack.


or, another officer got hit in the head pretty good....and was pretty out of it. Ambulance dropped him off at the hospital in the care of a nurse, who then put him in the ER waiting room in which he fell asleep for 2 hours before his wife arrived/freaked out and quickly woke him up.

[Norelco]

I was not feeling good at work, pretty good chest pains.... so my partner drove me up to the hospital, I sat in the ER waiting room for 8 hours before being looked at by a doctor. Ya, 8 hours with chest pains.... would've sucked if I had a heart attack.

Same thing happened to me but I had to wait an hour. They said though they know by the look on someone's face if they are *really* having a heart attack, so they probably saw that yours wasn't that bad. Either that, or they hate cops.

[Brill Weave]

I should also make it clear than both hospitals are part of UPMC. So they are part of the same family. Which leads to the question why are two different hospitals from the same providers charging me such vastly different fees. I could understand if I had to pay 15-20 dollars for them filling out the paperwork. But 100.00 fucking dollars for filling out three pieces of paper and making my handy little plastic ID bracelet? Fuck you, no. I'm not paying that shit.

[AoE]

I agree with you wholeheartedly.

Now tell the Brill Weave version.

[Brill Weave]

Now tell the Brill Weave version.

I honestly thought about doing that the day after it happened. I still might to tell you the truth. Just not right now because it's really pissing me the fuck off.

[Uzor]

They may still bill you for $100 for missed time. Bear in mind you DID arrange a time, which meant the doctor likely waited for you once it was your turn. and that time he waited is lost income for the hospital, which might be why they billed you. In which case odds are they will require you to pay.

Next time tell them you wish to cancel your appointment and you won't get billed.

[Seraph]

I honestly thought about doing that the day after it happened. I still might to tell you the truth. Just not right now because it's really pissing me the fuck off.

Anger giveth birth to the mightiest of tales, my friend.

[Norelco]

Brill, this person had the same experience: jobsanger: Hospital Charges For Waiting

edit: Also, if the hopsital wants to be dicks, they can just alert the credit bureau's you are unwilling to pay and your credit score may take a hit.

[Shuemue]

This ^^

They are probably charging $100 for a "screening process", which clearly failed because they took less severe cases in before you still.


If you want a good one, come to the local hospital near me!

I was not feeling good at work, pretty good chest pains.... so my partner drove me up to the hospital, I sat in the ER waiting room for 8 hours before being looked at by a doctor. Ya, 8 hours with chest pains.... would've sucked if I had a heart attack.


or, another officer got hit in the head pretty good....and was pretty out of it. Ambulance dropped him off at the hospital in the care of a nurse, who then put him in the ER waiting room in which he fell asleep for 2 hours before his wife arrived/freaked out and quickly woke him up.

Is your precinct in a third world country?

[Brill Weave]

Well that's just another unmentioned part of the story. The staff working up front knew I was leaving when they called the head nurse to ask when I might be seen. The lady at the desk told the head nurse that I was going to leave and not to worry about seeing me. They were aware the moment I made the decision to leave.

And I'm not really sure what ER you've been to. There are no appointments. The doctor's there work shifts on rotations, so no, he was not there to see me. He was there to work his rounds and see whoever the nurses brought back into the ER.

[Norelco]

Well that's just another unmentioned part of the story. The staff working up front knew I was leaving when they called the head nurse to ask when I might be seen. The lady at the desk told the head nurse that I was going to leave and not to worry about seeing me. They were aware the moment I made the decision to leave.

And I'm not really sure what ER you've been to. There are no appointments. The doctor's there work shifts on rotations, so no, he was not there to see me. He was there to work his rounds and see whoever the nurses brought back into the ER.

Brill, read this: Problem Solver: Hospital Writes-Off Bill for ER Visit | WSPA

This person was charged $263 for waiting in the ER and ended up leaving like you because they were not seen by a doctor.

Complain to the hospital directly and get the bill waived, if not, threaten to contact the local news. The news channels LOVE news stories like this, and if you're a college student, just say how you're a poor college student and you can't afford this. Audiences will lap that shit up.

[archibaldcrane]

Complain to the hospital, try to get them to waive the fee, all the way up until the point at which it is due.

Then just pay it.

Attempting to fight through medical bureaucracy is difficult and there is no certain outcome. It's not worth the hit on your credit for a $100 bill you very well may not get written off.

You're on a short timeline, get started complaining now.