I can assure you that I've been the victim of hospitals pulling that shit. I had scheduled a simple ultrasound for about $400 (including about a 30% discount for cash up front). When I showed up they demanded $1500, so I walked out.
After talking to my doctor and having them make several calls, the hospital again said the correct price was the $400 price, so we rescheduled. When I went in, I even explained the SNAFU to the billing guy, and he went to check to price and confirmed the $400 pricing. Fifteen minutes later the procedure was done, and figured I'd paid in full.
Three weeks later, a bill shows up demanding another $1100. Five years later, and there's still no chance in hell that they're going to get paid.
Posted 2/5/2012 11:20 pm
but something else clearly happened... they somehow got her name and address so they could bill her. they probably got some sort of consent from her to bill for services as well?
dealing with emergency medical personnel is like dealing with the police. if it isn't an absolute drop-dead necessity, AVOID.
she should have walked on as soon as they asked her her name.
Yes and no. Their paperwork says that they can bill you for other services provided, so they claim that the requested service really wasn't what was done.
Besides, none of it matters until they actually get you into court, and they're too fucking lazy to actually sue.
Posted 2/6/2012 12:38 am
People (mostly Repukes) who can't recognize that we have a failed, insane medical system in the USA are willfully ignorant or just retarded.
Posted 2/6/2012 12:53 am
Local clinic here in rural Thailand cleaned and bandaged a cyst on my back every day for over a week. Charge ? Whatever I wanted to pay.
Posted 2/8/2012 10:38 pm
These "health care provider" should have stated the "exact cost" BEFORE they administered care. Since they said "don't worry about it" this lady could assume the cost was free.
Health care has gone into the stratosphere because of just these actions. Another example is the cost in hospitals; they are NEVER stated. Providers just heap on the extras without letting anyone know that they are extras and cost bloody.
Health care is big, shady, business where it is assumed that cost doesn't matter. This lady specifically asked about the cost. She should not be charged a dime, since that cost was never stated.
Posted 2/9/2012 5:19 pm
Has it really come to this??? I'm a born and raised in the US but now living in the UK. It is a real shame, no disgrace, that human medical care in America is only seen with $$$$. I'm proud that here in the UK if myself or my family need to seek medical attention that they will been given first class care and in the end won't be financially wounded by costs.
and 
