My wife, 9-month old and I recently moved to Miami Florida from Massachusetts for my work. This was a move which we approached with great spirit and anticipation, excited for the potentially positive, impact it could have on our lives. First, before I mention the undeniably fraudulent and reprehensible medical billing practices in the sunny state of Florida I want to provide a little background.
In Massachusetts, we carried the most basic form of state-provided insurance, which afforded us limited, but still excellent care. Even with this basic insurance, the most expensive medical bill or emergency room visit at world renowned Boston area Hospitals haven't even come close to the price tag an hour and a half visit at Nicklaus Children's Hospital would end up costing us. Also, I would like to mention even as a single man just a few years ago, in my late 20's, without health insurance would have only cost me $400.
00 in the best Boston area ER's.
Even with this basic insurance, the most expensive medical bill or emergency room visit at world renowned Boston area Hospitals hadn't even come close to the price tag that an hour and a half visit at Nicklaus Children's Hospital would end up costing us.
I would like to mention even as a single male just a few years ago, in my late 20's, without health insurance an ER visit would have only cost me $400.00 at Boston's Best.
When we went to the hospital for my little boy we did not yet have insurance as we were waiting for my new insurance to kick in during the first 60 days of employment with my new employer.
None of us were covered as our Massachusetts State provide insurance did not carry over Florida. Our 9-month old was 8-months at the time of admittance.
He had just begun Daycare and caught his first flu. Being new parents far away from family we did what we thought was the smart thing to do as his fever reached 103.1 and brought him to the most "highly" rated hospital in our area.
Monday morning August 8th, my wife brought my son to the Nicklaus Children's Hospital to the ER to get checked out. All seemed well during the visit, a quick 1.5-hours which included one x-ray, lab tests for the flu and pneumonia and Tylenol.
Fast forward one week and we receive a bill for an X-ray, $35.00, seemed reasonable so we paid it right away, expecting to see an ER bill in the range of $350-$600 soon.
What followed were 4 separate and unbundled bills each with increasing, confusing and vague descriptions. Oh, did I mention that they all had separate statement dates...this is a highly unethical practice according to most regulatory agencies.
The Lab bill was high but not unreasonable, even the separate doctor's bill was understandable, but what really shocked us was a $3101.20 Out-patient fee for a 1.5-hour visit.
First off $3000.00 is the typical "Day" charge for a room, for a whole Day, even at the most prestigious institutions, which clearly Nicklaus does not qualify for.
Each of these bills came with outrageous payment timelines and conditions such as immediate payment, 3-month payment, and 6-month payment.
What followed were several days and weeks worth of phone calls to an evasive and incompetent billing department. The first lady I spoke with was able to speak to me and even "lower" the primary fee to $1500.00, like magic? She did so without my name needing to be on the account.
The first lady I was able to speak to offered to "lower" the primary fee to $1500.00, like magic? She did so without my name needing to be on the account.
We still found this to be an unfair and unacceptable price as we delved into the sordid history of Florida Medical billing practices. Especially those of non-profit hospitals which have been sued multiple times for, Unbundling and Upcharging bills to the under-insured and uninsured and then taking them to court when they couldn't pay.
Especially those of non-profit hospitals which have been sued multiple times for, Unbundling and Upcharging bills to the under-insured and uninsured and then taking them to court when they couldn't pay.
The next phone call I made was to an extremely vitriolic woman who refused to speak to me as soon as I started questioning these practices, claiming that I was not on the account and my wife would have to add me to it.
So my wife added me later that day. I called a few days later and spoke with the same woman who at first claimed that I was still not on the account but when asked to check again admitted that my wife had called and added me. After questioning her about the bills and getting nowhere she claimed she would send a new bill with all the charges itemized on one sheet. I also provided my new insurance information which she said she would submit.
After questioning her about the bills and getting nowhere she claimed she would send a new bill with all the charges itemized on one sheet. I also provided my new insurance information which she said she would submit.
One week later and we receive a collection call from the hospital billing department claiming that we never provided our new insurance information and we have yet to receive the updated bill.
This has to be stopped. These fraudulent practices are destroying this country and the people that work so hard to create a better world. It gives doctors a bad reputation and injures the overall health of this country's people.
I will call tomorrow, with my insurance information again and see where that gets me, I will update this post as well.
Nicklaus Children's Hospital Reviews
My wife, 9-month old and I recently moved to Miami Florida from Massachusetts for my work. This was a move which we approached with great spirit and anticipation, excited for the potentially positive, impact it could have on our lives. First, before I mention the undeniably fraudulent and reprehensible medical billing practices in the sunny state of Florida I want to provide a little background.
In Massachusetts, we carried the most basic form of state-provided insurance, which afforded us limited, but still excellent care. Even with this basic insurance, the most expensive medical bill or emergency room visit at world renowned Boston area Hospitals haven't even come close to the price tag an hour and a half visit at Nicklaus Children's Hospital would end up costing us. Also, I would like to mention even as a single man just a few years ago, in my late 20's, without health insurance would have only cost me $400.
00 in the best Boston area ER's.
Even with this basic insurance, the most expensive medical bill or emergency room visit at world renowned Boston area Hospitals hadn't even come close to the price tag that an hour and a half visit at Nicklaus Children's Hospital would end up costing us.
I would like to mention even as a single male just a few years ago, in my late 20's, without health insurance an ER visit would have only cost me $400.00 at Boston's Best.
When we went to the hospital for my little boy we did not yet have insurance as we were waiting for my new insurance to kick in during the first 60 days of employment with my new employer.
None of us were covered as our Massachusetts State provide insurance did not carry over Florida. Our 9-month old was 8-months at the time of admittance.
He had just begun Daycare and caught his first flu. Being new parents far away from family we did what we thought was the smart thing to do as his fever reached 103.1 and brought him to the most "highly" rated hospital in our area.
Monday morning August 8th, my wife brought my son to the Nicklaus Children's Hospital to the ER to get checked out. All seemed well during the visit, a quick 1.5-hours which included one x-ray, lab tests for the flu and pneumonia and Tylenol.
Fast forward one week and we receive a bill for an X-ray, $35.00, seemed reasonable so we paid it right away, expecting to see an ER bill in the range of $350-$600 soon.
What followed were 4 separate and unbundled bills each with increasing, confusing and vague descriptions. Oh, did I mention that they all had separate statement dates...this is a highly unethical practice according to most regulatory agencies.
The Lab bill was high but not unreasonable, even the separate doctor's bill was understandable, but what really shocked us was a $3101.20 Out-patient fee for a 1.5-hour visit.
First off $3000.00 is the typical "Day" charge for a room, for a whole Day, even at the most prestigious institutions, which clearly Nicklaus does not qualify for.
Each of these bills came with outrageous payment timelines and conditions such as immediate payment, 3-month payment, and 6-month payment.
What followed were several days and weeks worth of phone calls to an evasive and incompetent billing department. The first lady I spoke with was able to speak to me and even "lower" the primary fee to $1500.00, like magic? She did so without my name needing to be on the account.
The first lady I was able to speak to offered to "lower" the primary fee to $1500.00, like magic? She did so without my name needing to be on the account.
We still found this to be an unfair and unacceptable price as we delved into the sordid history of Florida Medical billing practices. Especially those of non-profit hospitals which have been sued multiple times for, Unbundling and Upcharging bills to the under-insured and uninsured and then taking them to court when they couldn't pay.
Especially those of non-profit hospitals which have been sued multiple times for, Unbundling and Upcharging bills to the under-insured and uninsured and then taking them to court when they couldn't pay.
The next phone call I made was to an extremely vitriolic woman who refused to speak to me as soon as I started questioning these practices, claiming that I was not on the account and my wife would have to add me to it.
So my wife added me later that day. I called a few days later and spoke with the same woman who at first claimed that I was still not on the account but when asked to check again admitted that my wife had called and added me. After questioning her about the bills and getting nowhere she claimed she would send a new bill with all the charges itemized on one sheet. I also provided my new insurance information which she said she would submit.
After questioning her about the bills and getting nowhere she claimed she would send a new bill with all the charges itemized on one sheet. I also provided my new insurance information which she said she would submit.
One week later and we receive a collection call from the hospital billing department claiming that we never provided our new insurance information and we have yet to receive the updated bill.
This has to be stopped. These fraudulent practices are destroying this country and the people that work so hard to create a better world. It gives doctors a bad reputation and injures the overall health of this country's people.
I will call tomorrow, with my insurance information again and see where that gets me, I will update this post as well.