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Author Topic: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?  (Read 739 times)

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gunslinger

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In USA, before you get LL, you get a quote. You then get surgery and then after discharge, you get a bill. What if the bill turns out to be way more than the initial quote? Do you have any legal safeguards against this?

I am asking about surgeons like Mahboubian and Debiparshad.
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ilovescience

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Re: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2022, 03:06:34 PM »

In USA, before you get LL, you get a quote. You then get surgery and then after discharge, you get a bill. What if the bill turns out to be way more than the initial quote? Do you have any legal safeguards against this?

I am asking about surgeons like Mahboubian and Debiparshad.

There should be a paper agreement which clients need to sign before surgery, correct? That paper should explain everything including the exact money to be paid.
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Medium Drink Of Water

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Re: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2022, 06:15:19 PM »

There should be a paper agreement which clients need to sign before surgery, correct? That paper should explain everything including the exact money to be paid.

Someone here has never dealt with the American healthcare system.
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randy

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Re: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?
« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2022, 10:03:31 AM »

I think this is possible anywhere in the world, not just in US. Even in Germany, they will not cover any complications arising out of LL. So during surgery if something bad happens and you end up staying for long in the hospital, you will have to pay up the extra amount.
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ilovescience

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Re: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2022, 11:47:26 AM »

I think this is possible anywhere in the world, not just in US. Even in Germany, they will not cover any complications arising out of LL. So during surgery if something bad happens and you end up staying for long in the hospital, you will have to pay up the extra amount.

Bad happens. Could it be like surgeons are not available for private reason, so they have to find another surgeon and you have to pay more
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gunslinger

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Re: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?
« Reply #5 on: July 07, 2022, 12:10:04 PM »

I did some research on this. I am hoping others from USA will also chime in. After all USA is the safest place to get LL done.

- Worst case, even if you don't pay your medical debt, you will not be tried in court or incarcerated. Worst case it will hit your credit score. Medical debt has a statute of limitations of 7 years. So you gotta somehow survive those 7 years with poor credit. After that the credit hit goes away.
- In many cases, if you plead at the billing department of the hospital they will give you discounts. Or at least they will put you on a payment plan which gives you time to pay. Most USA hospitals are non-profit. They are not supposed to viciously go after you for every last penny.
- There is a recently passed bill called No Surprises Act. It requires the surgeon or hospital to provide a good faith estimate of the costs involved. If the costs significantly increase after surgery, there is a dispute resolution process. At least this should prevent any malicious billing done. However, this will do nothing for complications.
- For complications, PLEASE FIND AN INSURANCE WHICH COVERS COMPLICATIONS OF NON-COVERED SERVICES. I do not know which insurances offer this but search for it. And inform the forum if you find anything.

Remember that USA is a highly developed country and one of the greatest countries where healthcare can't be so bad despite the reputation.
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ilovescience

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Re: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?
« Reply #6 on: July 07, 2022, 12:40:18 PM »

I did some research on this. I am hoping others from USA will also chime in. After all USA is the safest place to get LL done.

- Worst case, even if you don't pay your medical debt, you will not be tried in court or incarcerated. Worst case it will hit your credit score. Medical debt has a statute of limitations of 7 years. So you gotta somehow survive those 7 years with poor credit. After that the credit hit goes away.
- In many cases, if you plead at the billing department of the hospital they will give you discounts. Or at least they will put you on a payment plan which gives you time to pay. Most USA hospitals are non-profit. They are not supposed to viciously go after you for every last penny.
- There is a recently passed bill called No Surprises Act. It requires the surgeon or hospital to provide a good faith estimate of the costs involved. If the costs significantly increase after surgery, there is a dispute resolution process. At least this should prevent any malicious billing done. However, this will do nothing for complications.
- For complications, PLEASE FIND AN INSURANCE WHICH COVERS COMPLICATIONS OF NON-COVERED SERVICES. I do not know which insurances offer this but search for it. And inform the forum if you find anything.

Remember that USA is a highly developed country and one of the greatest countries where healthcare can't be so bad despite the reputation.

If the credit score really is low in someone, will his access to hospital and other services be blocked temporarily?
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gunslinger

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Re: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2022, 12:47:33 PM »

If the credit score really is low in someone, will his access to hospital and other services be blocked temporarily?

Not to hospitals.
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Height Journey

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Re: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2022, 01:40:15 PM »

In USA, before you get LL, you get a quote. You then get surgery and then after discharge, you get a bill. What if the bill turns out to be way more than the initial quote? Do you have any legal safeguards against this?

I am asking about surgeons like Mahboubian and Debiparshad.

In USA, before you get LL, you get a quote. Then you have to pay the full amount BEFORE surgery, or else the doctor will not perform the surgery.

I’m pretty sure that’s what it’s like with every other LL doctor outside of the USA.
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gunslinger

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Re: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2022, 02:28:27 PM »

In USA, before you get LL, you get a quote. Then you have to pay the full amount BEFORE surgery, or else the doctor will not perform the surgery.

I’m pretty sure that’s what it’s like with every other LL doctor outside of the USA.

1. With Dr Rozburch in New York City, you pay the hospital bill AFTER surgery.
2. Even if you pay before surgery they can add extra charges and send you new bills after surgery.
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ilovescience

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Re: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2022, 02:29:53 PM »

1. With Dr Rozburch in New York City, you pay the hospital bill AFTER surgery.
2. Even if you pay before surgery they can add extra charges and send you new bills after surgery.

Thanks for your explanation. I think that applies to other surgeries as well, not only cosmetic surgery, correct?
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gunslinger

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Re: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?
« Reply #11 on: July 07, 2022, 03:26:20 PM »

Thanks for your explanation. I think that applies to other surgeries as well, not only cosmetic surgery, correct?

Generally for all other surgeries there is insurance coverage. So if complications happen (whether on the day of surgery or months afterwards) insurance will pay for it. You should not have to worry about paying more than a deductible and sometimes a small % of the surgery cost.
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Height Journey

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Re: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?
« Reply #12 on: July 09, 2022, 04:12:59 AM »

1. With Dr Rozburch in New York City, you pay the hospital bill AFTER surgery.
2. Even if you pay before surgery they can add extra charges and send you new bills after surgery.

Ok, I found out that with Dr Rozburch, you pay the hospital bill AFTER surgery. But he is a very rare exception.

With almost every other doctor out there where you have any kind of planned surgery, you will have to pay the hospital bill BEFORE surgery. That is what any patient should expect over 99% of the time.
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ilovescience

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Re: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?
« Reply #13 on: July 09, 2022, 04:37:33 AM »

Ok, I found out that with Dr Rozburch, you pay the hospital bill AFTER surgery. But he is a very rare exception.

With almost every other doctor out there where you have any kind of planned surgery, you will have to pay the hospital bill BEFORE surgery. That is what any patient should expect over 99% of the time.

I am trying to better understand how American hospital works. For every surgery, if I am going to do it, I must talk to hospital, make an appointment, and bring my all documents needed for data saving. I then pay the money. I will then do surgery after that. After that, I can just leave hospital after surgery, no need to talk to them. Am I correct?

And it is applied to every surgery done in America.
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KiloKAHN

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Re: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?
« Reply #14 on: July 09, 2022, 05:59:49 AM »

I am trying to better understand how American hospital works. For every surgery, if I am going to do it, I must talk to hospital, make an appointment, and bring my all documents needed for data saving. I then pay the money. I will then do surgery after that. After that, I can just leave hospital after surgery, no need to talk to them. Am I correct?

And it is applied to every surgery done in America.

I recently had a blood clot in my pelvis and needed surgery to put in a stent and prevent an embolism
 I had my surgery at USC in Los Angeles. I have been paying $450 a month in the private market for Blue Shield CA insurance. The hospital billed $7,500 for one day in the hospital and $106,000 for surgery. After insurance coverage, I owed $13,000 out of pocket. What I found dealing with the hospital system is that I'd have an appointment and for that one visit be billed 3 separate times - a bill for the doctor fee, a bill for use of the room, and a bill for lab testing.

The US Healthcare system even with insurance will see you getting multiple fees. And if you don't pay it, you'll likely get a collections person coming after you foe the remaining bill.
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ilovescience

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Re: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?
« Reply #15 on: July 09, 2022, 06:09:38 AM »

I recently had a blood clot in my pelvis and needed surgery to put in a stent and prevent an embolism
 I had my surgery at USC in Los Angeles. I have been paying $450 a month in the private market for Blue Shield CA insurance. The hospital billed $7,500 for one day in the hospital and $106,000 for surgery. After insurance coverage, I owed $13,000 out of pocket. What I found dealing with the hospital system is that I'd have an appointment and for that one visit be billed 3 separate times - a bill for the doctor fee, a bill for use of the room, and a bill for lab testing.

The US Healthcare system even with insurance will see you getting multiple fees. And if you don't pay it, you'll likely get a collections person coming after you foe the remaining bill.

Thank you for your explanation. Sorry for my limited English ability. It means when someone wants to do surgery, he will make appointment and visit hospital first, and pay money for three separate times for three different offices. Then he can do surgery.
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gunslinger

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Re: What if your hospital bill turns out to be more than expected?
« Reply #16 on: July 09, 2022, 10:46:47 AM »

I recently had a blood clot in my pelvis and needed surgery to put in a stent and prevent an embolism
 I had my surgery at USC in Los Angeles. I have been paying $450 a month in the private market for Blue Shield CA insurance. The hospital billed $7,500 for one day in the hospital and $106,000 for surgery. After insurance coverage, I owed $13,000 out of pocket. What I found dealing with the hospital system is that I'd have an appointment and for that one visit be billed 3 separate times - a bill for the doctor fee, a bill for use of the room, and a bill for lab testing.

The US Healthcare system even with insurance will see you getting multiple fees. And if you don't pay it, you'll likely get a collections person coming after you foe the remaining bill.

Is this blood clot related to your LL surgery?

And if you don't pay what will the collections person do? Just call you and give up?
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