Friday, May 30, 2014

The Cost of the Emergency Room

When I was in the emergency room at New York Presbyterian on April 15th -16th, I saw a few doctors, one of which was a surgeon named Dr. Kumar (not his real name). This doctor was the boss of all those pesky surgical residents who were so anxious to operate on my bowel.  I saw him just before he discharged me. On April 17th, there was a bill in my mailbox from Dr. Kumar for $550.  I threw it away thinking that this would be submitted to my insurance since he saw me in the emergency room.  Aetna, my medical insurance provider paid the following amounts for my overnight stay in the emergency room hallway on April 15th:

New York Presbyterian Hospital:  $13,095
Dr. Yong Ho Auh, radiologist:       $181
Dr. Elisa Aponte, ER physician:    $165

Total payments:                            $13,441

For whatever reason, Dr. Kumar's bill was sent to me separately.  I received another bill today in the mail stating that my account is past due and to avoid further collection activities, to remit payment in full.  Not to be a b*tch, but if a doctor sees a patient in the emergency room, shouldn’t his payment be part of that overall bill?  If not, shouldn’t he have asked me for my insurance information - like any other doctor would before he saw me?  Why should my credit be at risk for this obnoxious doctor behavior?  The only way for me to take care of this is to call their toll free billing number and sit on hold to get it straightened out.  Grrrr….like I have time to fight with the doctor over the bill while I am working 50+ hours a week and battling cancer! 

I probably should not have been, but I was shocked by the cost of this emergency room visit.  Considering that I did not even have a room, IV pole, nurse call button, privacy curtain, TV, pillow or bathroom, I find this kind of pricey.  On top of that wonderful experience, I now have to deal with Dr. Kumar’s billing issues.

3 comments:

  1. Expecting quality treatment and ethical billing practices hardly makes you a b*tch. I hate to sound paranoid but, sometimes it feels like a racket. Like they want to make it hard for you to pay. I have similar experiences. On a side note, how do you have the energy for a 50 hour work week! I can barely get my kid to school some days. Wow. That's great that you can do it. I thought about a part time job but had a really bad week and that was that. ~ Hope you're feeling better, Ed

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  2. That is odd. All the billings should be sent to your insurance company, since the payment will eventually come from them, or most of it. It could've been a mix up, unless it was for a separate consultation, which I don't think you had. Was this eventually sorted out? As for the emergency room fee, that is indeed quite pricey, given the accommodations you've described. Did they use any specialized equipment for your operation? Also, is it quite possible to ask as to why it is that high? Asking about these things isn't being rude or bitchy; you certainly have the right to know if the amount you paid is justified.

    Jason Hayes @ DECO Recovery Management

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    1. I think it was a mix up because when I called to get the bill submitted to my insurance company, they already had the information but had not submitted it. Once they did, it was paid by insurance and I think it is done. Regarding medical costs, I've asked my insurance company about pricing, not for this ER visit but for other procedures. I get very vague responses like costs are negotiated by procedure and facility so can vary widely. It would be so nice if medical costs were more transparent!

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