Life was going on as usual with me working part time and shopping, cooking, cleaning for my elder parents with whom I live with my pup. I've mentioned prior it all caught up with me the end of September, when I felt a loss of strength and just not well; I was ultimately taken by rescue squad to the local hospital affiliated with our Cleveland Clinic. There they apparently determined I had an aortic dissection, which is often fatal. They put me on a helicopter for the 13 mile or so trip to the main campus where surgery was done at a cost of $47K. I had no idea and no ability to dispute any of it, but how can someone if you have the desire to live? I am nearly in tears as I write this having just returned from the post office to find bills from everyone. I have not rushed to even attempt to pay any as I spotted something on one ages ago that seemed inaccurate. My request for a copy of my record so I could go through and compile a list of other errors resulted in my getting a bill for $150 or so just to get it (copying costs). Others have said since the decision was not mine, the hospital would have to pick up the copter charges or the insurance should. But still that has not happened. I have learned these surprise helicopter bills have hurt many. It's rough enough to have a traumatic illness surprise, but then the surprise of surviving to be in huge debt...is unbearable. I don't know which way to turn. If I made payments they would be minimal. I also have added to the grand debt total some credit card debt and residual hospital bills from a prior few days I was in, back in August. Someone suggested applying for Medicaid, but I don't think it would cover charges that had taken place prior to the Medicaid being approve IF it even would be....It seems insurmountable.
He contacted the providers and explained that he had no money, was happy to make minimum payments but could they help him with the dollar amount. It was close to a million dollars for all of his medical and heli transport.
They were happy to help him and he ended up with 7k worth of bills that he had to pay.
Insurance never pays for heli transport and we never know this until we get astronomical bills.
It is pretty inexpensive to purchase this insurance and I recommend that everyone pay the 150 bucks annually to ensure that they don't go bankrupt from the costs.
Good luck getting them to work with you. If not, file medical bankruptcy.
Never heard of a Hospital picking up a helicopter bill. Your usually billed for every stinking thing.
You are responsible for ambulance or helicopter airlift charges due to medical necessity - but those can also be billed to your insurance and covered - at least for most of it.
Please don't "ignore" those bills. Making minimal payments while you "sort out" all of the charges is better than those bills going to collections for non-payment. Same with credit cards; make the minimum payment until you have the charges sorted out.
I've had times in the past where I had a lot of medical debt. I worked with the hospital billing department to make regular monthly payments on those bills. It took a while, but I eventually got them paid off.
Medicaid won't cover you retrospectively (I think). Try to negotiate the bills down. Do you currently have insurance? You need to have. You have time. Don't rush yourself.
Also, there's an old saying about not being able to get blood from a stone. Send them 25 bucks a month. That's you making an effort at payment and they can't go after you for lack of payment.
Is it correct for me to assume that you had some medical insurance at the time of your illness and surgery? If so, then report these questionable expenses they're tacking onto the bill to the insurance company. No insurance company on earth is going to pay extra and not question the entity sending or padding the bill. They will demand every bit of information about your case and the hospital, helicopter service, and anyone else will not refuse them. Then request all of it from your insurance company. They'll send it to you too. Let them do the work of getting all this for you, and they will. Also, I burnt off on a whole bunch of medical debt myself, much of it on credit cards. Once again, you can't get blood from a stone. They forgive it after seven years anyway. As for the credit cards, stop paying them. After a while (usually several months to a year later) they will then start making you offers on settling your debts with them and they will settle for pennies on the dollar. In the meantime, you will be without credit cards though. That's not too hard to fix. I'm assuming that your parents are elderly and probably have good credit, right? Get them to put you on one of their credit card accounts. Now, of course you'll be trustworthy and not run up a credit card bill on the account because you obviously love your parents otherwise you wouldn't be taking care of them. Be mindful of that credit card and your own credit in your own name will be restored in about 2 to 3 years.
I'm sure this sounds like a shady and underhanded way to operate, and it is. It's no where near the blatant ripping off and thievery the medical industry and insurance industry gets away with. This is often the only way the little guy can get by.
Just a thought about the medical bill issue-- at some point as the specific amounts you might owe become clearer you might want to try posting your question regarding the money issue specifically on the Bogleheads Forum, in the section of the board devoted to personal finance issues:
https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=2
BarbBrooklyn has recommended this site often, and I checked it out on her suggestion to another poster and found a lot of useful info there. There are a lot of well-informed posters there willing to troubleshoot on various financial topics.
Do bankruptcy. Go make an appointment with a bankruptcy attorney.
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