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I just donated, about all I could afford.
Spousette and I were hit by a drunk a while back, and together, we've had about $310,000 in medical, of which only $140,000 has been paid by the carrier. I am not complaining about the insurance company, at least they have paid the minimum in accordance with their agreements with approved providers, less deductables, copays, et al, provides. What irks me is a) docs and hospitals that HAVE agreed to limit their charges for the "insured" rate, ignore that agreement, and send ding letters, and even hire collection agencies to get "full value" of their bills.
Let me put that in english.
Hospital A has a BCBS agreement to pay X for "treatment Y". Hospital A bills mois $150,000 for major surgery to mois back. IE "treatment Y". (a massive, painful, necessary surgery, from which I am still recovering) Hospital A sends bill to BCBS, which dutifully pays the agreed amount, $76,950. The TOTAL AGREED COST FOR SURGERY. BY CONTRACT. Hospital A gets paid $76,950. They then send a bill to mois for $73,050, with threats, deadlines, an offer of a minor discount, and a STRONGLY suggested "contract" to pay that outstanding over several months. Followed by letters from a collection agency, and a letter from a lawfirm (with whom I have dealt with professionally, repeatedly) asking why am I such a beater of the dead. Hospital A gets a rude, nasty, angry, threatening letter from mois, advising them that their effort at double dipping will jeopardize their ability to practice medicine in Illinois. Hospital A sends a letter saying it was simply a mistake, and to ignore their threats to ruin my credit, my life and my finances.
I am first and foremost, an artist. Everything I see in life, all my dreams, all my hopes and aspirations are related to art. Creativity. Discovery. Making things. I also practice law, about 23 yrs worth. I've represented AIG in bad faith claims, products cases, even claims against the Catholic sexual child abusers. (I hated that part of the job). I've represented UPS in fatals and quad cases. I've tried so many cases, that I quit keeping count a decade ago. So, I guess I am a lawyer, too.
But for my speeches and CLE courses I taught about Bad Faith Insurance handling, and my experience as a litigator for a couple of decades, I would have been sucked in by Hospital A, and would have fretted about a whole new debt of $73,000+ EVEN THOUGH I WAS FULLY INSURED. I can only imagine how those without 23 yrs of legal experience would react.
With the major impact on my income for the past year (post accident, I simply was unable to work, and after surgery, ((conservative therapy did squat)), the whole cycle repeated itself) I wish I could send more. DU, now, more than ever, is important. We have to push single payer, or a public option. There is no other alternative.
sorry about taking so much time.
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