r/HospitalBills • u/Versatilitee • 2d ago
Help! Can someone explain what I should do.
I recently payed a visit to the emergency room as my face had swollen up from a tooth abscess and I was scared of going septic. I was brought into a room, sat in a chair, had my vitals checked, prescribed an antibiotic and released. I am uninsured and received my bill. Which I’ve attached. I asked for an itemized receipt and this is what I’m getting.
Can someone please tell me why it’s $2000 for a vital check and a prescription? Is there anything I can do to get this lowered since I’m self pay? I’m really just trying to gauge my options here as I don’t want this sent to collections and will pay what I have to but this seems outrageous for what was done.
Thanks in advance
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u/KTownserd 2d ago
You can reach out to the hospital to work out a payment plan. They’ll work with you, but yes, it’s really expensive.
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u/DrLophophora 1d ago
I mentioned this in another comment, but if you can swing it, they may give you a discount for paying the balance off - I got %40 off recently this way
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u/sopolebird 2d ago
A hint, next time don't go to an ER, go to a med clinic, like CVS Minute Clinic. They're a hell of a lot cheaper.
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u/Mindless_Camel9915 2d ago
Or better yet, a dentist. OP went to the most expensive place for care you could possibly go to and was surprised when the care was expensive.
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u/fakemoose 1d ago
They thought they were going septic. A dentist would have told them to go to the ER.
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u/Mindless_Camel9915 1d ago
Yup and it cost them a whole lot of money to find out they weren't. Dentists can prescribe antibiotics too
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u/fakemoose 1d ago
Sepsis isn’t resolved with your run of them mill pill antibiotic you pick up from CVS. If you’re actually septic, you do in fact need to be at the ER.
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u/2McDoty 1d ago
OP did not say they believed they were septic. They stated they had a tooth abscess, their face started swelling, and they were worried about going septic due to the abscess… I.e. they were worried about the risk they would be taking if they didn’t address the tooth abscess, because left untreated it could lead to sepsis.
The most appropriate medical professional to see was absolutely a dentist, and it would have been a far less expensive visit.
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u/Mindless_Camel9915 1d ago
But they weren't. Cheaper places can determine whether or not you are besides the ER
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u/anothermedstudent123 1d ago
Dentist would not. Dentist would treat the dental infection for way cheaper than it cost to get antibiotics from the ER. I’m an ER doc. Not much we can do for dental infections other than antibiotics and saying.. go to the dentist.
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u/fakemoose 1d ago
If she called and just said infection, sure. But if she called the office freaking out about being septic I don’t think they’d schedule an appointment with the dentist.
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u/QweenKush420 1d ago
They worried about going septic, and no a dentist would not have sent them to the ER. The dentist would have looked and prescribed them an antibiotic and told them to come back after 10-14 days to make sure it was going away.
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u/khronos127 1d ago
Can’t blame someone who hasn’t been to the ER for not knowing how much of a scam US healthcare is. When I had to stay in the hospital, they changed my insurance $200 for every time they brought me pills in a cup, refilled my waster or changed my saline bag. The saline bag and medicine itself cost way more, just the act of changing the bag or bringing a cup.
It can be shocking when you don’t have experience in that world, what they change for the most basic stuff that a toddler can do.
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u/Mindless_Camel9915 1d ago
Absolutely. It's a valuable lesson that the ER is the most expensive place to get your health care questions answered
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u/Adept-Piece-1917 2d ago
Absolutely never go to CVS MinuteClinic for actual medical problem. Go to an urgent care ideally one that has physician staffing. There are so many poorly trained mid levels that work in Urgent Care these days in Cvs scrapes the bottom of the barrel I work in one of these urgent cares and all these local urgent cares refer complex patients to us when they don’t know what to do
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u/Ncyphe 1d ago
Or an UrgentCare with ER.
A company near me is called Legacy ER and Urgent Care. You can be admitted under Urgent Care status and receive a bill around 150. They only upgrade you to ER status if they need to. And even then, it's still cheaper than a hospital's ER, and a shorter wait, too.
If ER Urgent Care centers can't treat an issue, they can at least stabilize you and get yCare. A specialized care.
My personal experience was from last December. I got really sick and super dehydrated, I couldn't keep solids or liquids down. They admitted me under Urgent Care and only upgraded me to ER to get an IV in me to rehydrate me.
I think that visit cost me $1200 after insurance and all the bills.
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u/PhDinFineArts 1d ago
I don't even play with gastro stuff. If I throw up, I am going to urgent care and then the ER, if necessary. I get sick like that like once a year or so, and it's the super pits.
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u/Financial_Tap3894 1d ago
These minute clinics and most freestanding urgent cares are run by mid-level practitioners like nurse practitioners and PAs who are clueless.
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u/punkrockyuppie 2d ago
Check if the hospital has a financial assistance program--many places do. For example, the major hospital local to me will discount your bill by 70-100% depending on your annual income. This includes ER services, PCP services, in-house labwork, anything! I qualify for the 70% discount and it's been a huge help. This should be separate from the courtesy self-pay discount (based on my experience working in healthcare/insurance/billing).
If that's available, complete the app and see what the remaining balance is. If it's still too high to pay all at once, contact their billing department to set up a payment plan. Most hospitals will be game to get $25/mo from you rather than nothing at all.
If they don't have additional financial assistance, you can also try reaching out to local community organizations to see if any offer grants/funding/etc for help paying medical bills. These can often be found at libraries or other community locations.
If there really aren't any other resources near you, then at least contact the billing dept to set up the payment plan.
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u/TheColtWar 1d ago
Here to contribute…
Based on the screenshot, a quick search shows that this health system has a charity care/financial assistance program. Looks easy enough to apply for too. Try completing this application. This hospital may even have an on-site financial counselor (or similar title) who may be able to help you through this process, or provide additional resources, or help you find insurance coverage, or all of the above.
https://www.mercy.com/patient-resources/financial-assistance
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u/Own-Emphasis4551 1d ago
OP, this is the advice you want to follow. Apply for their patient financial assistance program ASAP. I also recommend speaking with the hospital’s patient financial advocate (not a billing representative) on the phone and seeing what options might be available to you.
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u/CompetitivePeak6325 1d ago
Thisi had emergency surgery when I had to go the ER and the bills were over $50k. I applied for financial assistance through the hospital because I didn’t have insurance at the time. They wiped it all away.
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u/Bitter-Breath-9743 1d ago
Is that on top of the uninsured discount they already gave them?
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u/Positive-Peace-8210 2d ago
You went to the ER and got care. The ER is expensive. I recommend setting up a payment plan with the hospital.
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u/SnarkyPickles 2d ago
You went to the emergency room, that is why it is so expensive. Next time I would try an urgent care. They can write you antibiotics and check your vitals and it is more affordable. They already gave you a significant discount on this bill. You can apply for charity care through the hospital to see if you qualify. If not, I’d reach out to the billing department and establish a payment plan where you can pay some toward your balance each month. They won’t send you to collections as long as you are paying toward it.
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u/Honest-Mistake01 2d ago
Your best bet is to set up a payment plan with the hospital. There are other options to get it lowered but unfortunately it is for a higher bill and situation like hospital admissions.
It sounds like you don't have medical insurance which this should be a wake up call to start browsing for it. You don't need a fancy cover all but at least a insurance. With insurance it could have possibly been a $500 visit instead.
You didn't mention it but it seems you didn't call an ambulance for you so kuddos, you avoided an unnecessary bill as you would've probably sat on the gurney and checked for anaphylaxis or sepsis like you said and nothing would've been done.
Good luck.
Ps: I work on those pesky expensive ambulance and my wife does billing for hospital so she deals with insurance a lot.
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u/Hour-Adagio-9151 2d ago
In addition to getting insurance, some insurance plans have a free 24hr nurse line you can call for medical advice. They can tell you when it’s important to get to an ER or when an urgent care or even regular doctors visit would be appropriate. I’ve used this several times for my family just this year. They won’t give you any kind of diagnosis but will recommend how quickly you should be seen (ex: you need to be seen within the next four hours for your abdominal pain or take your baby to the ER as soon as possible for evaluation). If insurance isn’t attainable for you, maybe you could look into this kind of service for people that are uninsured.
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u/ionlyjoined4thecats 21h ago
My kid spent one night in a hospital (though she was in observation, not formally admitted) and just received a bit of oxygen and nebulizer treatments and what we owed out of pocket was $3500. Uninsured self-pay probably would’ve been less tbh. (They actually billed the ER physician’s bill to us that way first, and it WAS less than what we owed once we gave them our insurance info.)
The best part? We were visiting family out of state, so while we’d qualify for a 100% discount based on income, they won’t give us financial assistance because we’re residents of another state. Shit sucks. (Tips welcome, if you have any.)
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u/Grand_Photograph_819 2d ago
It looks like they already applied a self pay discount. ER is expensive, unfortunately. Even with insurance many times.
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u/Faux---Fox 2d ago
Uninsured at an urgent care (I know because I did it a couple times before finally getting insurance) would have been $250 to be seen. And maybe a bill later for any additional costs of tests, but not by much. For example, when I went for a uti I paid $250 up front and nothing was ever billed extra. My son had strep and it was the same cost.
I understand you were scared but if you were breathing fine, Urgent Care is the best bet. And then they'll tell you if it needs a hospital visit.
Unfortunately, you'll have to get on a payment plan. It's usually over 12 months with no interest. I had to do the same for a very similar amount when uninsured still. I tried to file for help and they denied me.
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u/enigmicazn 2d ago
Call the hospital to set up a payment plan or to see if they can lower it a bit more.
You went to the the ER, it is expensive. A bag of fluids that cost them probably $2 will be billed to you for a few hundred minimal. It's the cost of running an ER and having multiple allied health professionals and physicians there to care for sick patients.
The fact you came in for dental pain and was out immediately says to me it wasn't objectively an emergency.
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u/fordtuff 2d ago
Next time only go to the ER for an emergency
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u/Bitter-Breath-9743 1d ago
Swollen face can equal compromised airway… I had a friend who he was admitted to the hospital because her face got so swollen. She had to be treated before the abscess could be addressed
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u/Tardislass 2d ago
Set up a payment plan or tell them how much you can send every month. If you are sending them some money every month you probably won't go to collections.
Unfortunately ERs are expensive. Even my Urgent Care was $500.
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u/rottentomati 2d ago
In the future, go to an urgent care. They will redirect you to an ER if it’s actually an emergency. An ER is going to have emergency billing which is far more expensive.
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u/nopeduck 2d ago
Not arguing, adding my experience: if you need X-rays, IV fluids, or an MRI - skip Urgent Care and go to the ER. Urgent Care can’t do those things, and will still charge for their services before they call an ambulance to take you to the ER if you’re alone.
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u/rottentomati 1d ago
I’ve had an xray and CT done at an urgent care, so it entirely depends on the location.
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u/BVB09_FL 2d ago
Looks about right from a cost standpoint. You went to the most expensive place for treatment. Next time go to urgent care or just a regular dentist first.
Call their billing department and ask for a payment plan.
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u/Orangesoda65 2d ago
The emergency department is expensive, because you are paying for an unscheduled visit to evaluate for emergencies.
Some hospitals will work with you to come up with a payment plan or discount the price.
In the future, it would be more cost-conscious to go to urgent care or find a primary physician for non-urgent matters.
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u/Correct_Part9876 2d ago
Online urgent care, e-vists (chat), etc are much much cheaper and can get you antibiotics quickly. I did one last year for a UTI and they had it called in within 30 minutes of me starting the chat.
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u/MissyChevious613 2d ago
Looks like you were given a self-pay/uninsured discount. The original cost was just shy of $3200, your self pay discount was $1,275. I'm a hospital social worker and the discount they're offering looks extremely consistent with the discount we offer for uninsured or self-pay patients. You can work with the billing office on a payment plan or ask about an application for charity care. If you don't have Medicaid it's worth applying. If approved, it goes back 3mo from date of application.
Unfortunately, an ER is the most expensive place you can visit, even with insurance. You aren't just paying for vitals, you're paying for the cost of maintaining the facility 24/7, the staff that works there, the equipment, etc. Even with insurance you're looking at a grand just getting into triage. It sucks, but it's the reality of the American healthcare system.
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u/Nova-star561519 2d ago
Payment plan is your best option. This is pretty standard for ER bills in America. Next time go to urgent care not the ER. That was your number 1 mistake
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u/Anxious-Education703 1d ago edited 1d ago
- If you have insurance, then call the hospital and let them know so they can run it through insurance.
- If you are low income and have low assets, you may qualify for Medicaid. If you get Medicaid, they often cover the last three months of medical bills from the date of application.
- If you don't have insurance, depending on your finances, you may be eligible for financial assistance (charity care) for either the bill to be forgiven completely or reduced. The hospital system you are using has a page for this:https://www.mercy.com/patient-resources/financial-assistance
Financial requirements are here: https://www.mercy.com/-/media/mercy/patient-resources/financial-assistance/plain-language-summary_mercy-health_final_clean.ashx
The application is here: https://www.mercy.com/-/media/mercy/patient-resources/financial-assistance/2024/english/mercy-health-2024-application_final_clean.ashx
- Assuming you do not have insurance, do not qualify for Medicaid, and do not meet the requirements for charity care, request an itemized copy of the bill (demand they give a line by line break down every service, CPT code, and anything else they are charging for, ask them to justify why it was coded at a level 3 visit), and then dispute any inaccurate charges and ask about any other possible discounts (such as a pay-in-full discount, for example). If you need it, most hospitals also have payment plans.
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u/whentheroses-fade 1d ago
Ask for an itemized bill (usually it'll be much lower, and yku can contest any items that weren't done/etc- it's happened to me before)
Compare line item prices to prices on fairhealthconsumer.org and contest any discrepancies with the hospital
Go to dollarfor.org and see if any programs to help in your area
Ask hospital themselves for their charity program application (nost cover up to 300% of the FPL, less but still picks up some of the bill)
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u/RandomPlagueDoctor 1d ago
I would also ensure the CPT codes are correct for your visit, upcoding is a thing. Not sure if they include this with an itemized bill.
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u/dhjr49003 1d ago
Ask for an itemized receipt, no way can they produce evidence that services rendered were worth $2000 especially if it was a 5 minute vital check and a single prescription
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u/themkaufman 1d ago
So theres 2 things you should do.
- Call up their billing dept and request and itemized list of the billed items. Federal laws only allow them to bill a certain amount for each item but hospitals tend to bill more knowing that most won't blink twice. (Mote info can be reviewed on the patient right advocate website) Let them know about any "mistakes" that need corrected.
- Once the amount is corrected tell them you'd like to pay in full and you'd like to know if they can offer a paid in full discount. You can also reject their first offer, they will likely go lower.
Hope this helps!
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u/themkaufman 1d ago
Oh, if you prefer to not do it on your own you can have https://www.goodbill.com/ do it for you, just a thought.
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u/Ok_Plant_3248 1d ago edited 1d ago
Make sure to speak with a rep at the hospital and see if they offer financial assistance. My local hospital approves financial assistance of 100% once insurance pays their share based on income level. You have to apply for it, though.
Edit: check here: https://www.mercy.com/patient-resources/financial-assistance
"Financial assistance is generally determined by a sliding scale of total household income based on the FPG. Individuals eligible for financial assistance under our Policy with an income level at 200% FPG or below receive free care. Individuals with an income level from 201% to 300% FPG, and 301% to 400% FPG, respectively, receive discounted care based on a sliding scale, as set forth in the Policy. The specific percentage discounts for the 201%-300% FPG, and 301% to 400% FPG, income levels are updated annually for each market commensurate with changes in the charge master."
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u/quietlypink 1d ago
Definitely reach out to financial assistance, like others have said. They can possibly get you a discount depending on your income, and they can set up a payment plan
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u/EnvironmentalBig7287 1d ago
If in the US: They’ll send it to collections. Once it’s sold, you have a year to settle before they can report it on your credit. I just got a letter offering to settle for 50% the balance. I plan to call and settle for 30%.
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u/BundtJamesBundt 1d ago
Ask for an itemized bill and the bill will magically shrink
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u/Versatilitee 1d ago
I’ve done this, he said it’ll be here in 7-14 days but when I opened my chart it said my itemized bill was ready and that’s what you’re looking at above. If that’s my itemized bill then it did me no good.
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u/BundtJamesBundt 1d ago
That is not itemized. It should break down to meds given, labs performed, and also imaging, at minimum.
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u/corniefish 1d ago
I was recently in the ER and got the itemized list. Thankfully I have insurance that covered all but $100 of the 22,500 bill. One of two physicians I saw charged nearly $3k for a brief consult with me on whether I should be admitted. Sadly, your bill is what emergency care costs.
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u/Far-Air8177 1d ago
All these people are providing lame "advice" to be honest... their advice seems to be to just pay the ridiculous fee. Redditors don't know what it's like to struggle.
Here's my 2 cents and the advice you'd get on many ojter subs: simply don't pay. That's right. First of all if it's a non profit and you make less than 200% of the poverty rate... they have to waive costs. Even if that's not the case in some states it's up to 4x the poverty rate where you qualify. Inform the hospital of this. Alternatively you can tell the hospital that you are simply unable to pay. You could tell them you are long term unemployed or homeless ( regardless of if you actually are). They are likely to give up on collecting if you tell them this. They write off a massive number of bills and get tax benefits for doing so.
Buut even if all that doesn't work.... there's really very little harm in just not paying. If thousands of dollars means anything to you it really is best not to pay. There's no real way for them to get the money from you. Medical collections hurts credit score alot less than other collections and often doesn't get counted at all. There's no real downside to it and a couple thousand to a hospital is nothing.
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u/Difficult_Object4921 1d ago
First time? Seriously though, that is US medicine. They charged me $1 for a single Tylenol, on top of the thousands they were already getting.
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u/brendan_younger 2d ago
According to Mercy Anderson, they should only be charging you $1,787 for an ER level 3 (99283). See https://www.mercy.com/-/media/mercy/patient-resources/hospital-pricing/hospital-pricing/anderson-hospital-pricing.ashx (granted, from 2024).
According to the most recent data file (from https://www.mercy.com/pay-a-bill/estimate-your-cost ) their standard charge for a 99283 is $1,787 with a discounted cash charge of $1,072.20.
I would absolutely throw that in their face. There are real $ penalties for posting the wrong $ amount (see https://www.cms.gov/priorities/key-initiatives/hospital-price-transparency/enforcement-actions ), so they need to abide by the $1,072.20 or risk a penalty from CMS. Assuming they give you that $ amount, accept it, get on a payment plan, and then complain to CMS anyway that they're being misleading and trying to charge more than what they publicly posted they would charge.
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u/Accurate_Weather_211 1d ago
“Discount Cash Charge” is the cost if you had paid IMMEDIATELY via cash or credit card and the hospital didn’t have to generate a bill of any kind or carry a balance of any kind or follow-up with you in any way for payment. A discount cash patient pays at the time of service.
I’m not saying you still can’t get that price, but if you go balls to the wall throwing around threats of calling CMS, you should be aware they will be less likely to give you any discount.
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u/brendan_younger 1d ago
Not true. The legal definition of Discounted Cash Price is here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/11/27/2019-24931/medicare-and-medicaid-programs-cy-2020-hospital-outpatient-pps-policy-changes-and-payment-rates-and#p-982 There is no mention of "you have to pay on your way out the door".
Linked directly from https://www.cms.gov/priorities/key-initiatives/hospital-price-transparency/hospitals
IDK why so many people on reddit keep carrying water for hospitals that are gratuitously overcharging their customers.
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u/DevynnKate 2d ago
All of these links are from 2024, they very likely raised all prices in their Chargemaster for 2025. Although can't locate an update price schedule. OP- calmy - not throwing it in their face and threatening to call CMS, call billing and ask for your options. They have charity care and monthly payment options.
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u/towndrunk1 1d ago
I guess you missed the effective date on that flyer, but hey complain away I’m sure CMS will jump on an enforcement action and not just roll their eyes.
Does OP’s bill also include professional charge? So many variables to explain the charge difference.
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u/SlitheringFlower 1d ago
My goodness the advice here is awful. Reddit recommended this sub to me and it looks like a bunch of copy/paste, condescending responses.
OP, call the hospital billing department. Demand an itemized list of charges. Challenge the ones that do not make sense.
It will likely still be pricey, since America is awful, but it will be lower.
Based on the treatment you received the price is too high. I was in the ER and ICU overnight two weeks ago and my bill was $2,200. Obviously prices vary based on location and hospital, but I'm in New York which is not a cheap state.
For commenters, blaming someone who was sick for not choosing the right care option is insane and do not go to a CVS clinic for a tooth abscess.
Good luck OP!
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u/Pressure_Plastic 2d ago
probably best option is applying for financial assistance. if your eligible. I feel like a lot of people are not aware of how helpful it could really be.
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u/Go_Corgi_Fan84 2d ago
It’s basically 3k to even step foot in an ER. I think of the ER like the reverse of GO in Monopoly basically it’s pay the hospital a minimum of 3k
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u/PositionParty1454 2d ago
See if the hospital has a financial aid program and if you qualify. You are still responsible for being seen, but if you qualify for financial assistance they will reduce your bill further. Once you fill out the financial assistance, it's usually good for a year.
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u/Amdv121998 2d ago
idk probably just don’t pay it or set up a payment plan. I’ve called and said i can pay $5 a month on this card and that’s it and they usually say ok lol. And then if i change my card at some point in that time I really never hear about it again. Never shows up on my credit. Urgent care would have been fine but I think it’s appropriate for you to go to the ER with face and neck swelling! That can be scary and you didn’t know what was happening.
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u/warriorcoach 2d ago
Obtain itemized bill and make sure it only list what they did. If correct set up payment plan . Most people even with insurance pay via payment plan. And if you are not able to pay you can ask to be considered as a charity case and hospital will tell how that works .
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u/Technical-Pie563 2d ago
Try an emergency dentist next time. Make payment arrangements. Some hospitals even have charity care / financial aid. Id be on the phone with them first thing tomorrow morning.
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u/CorrectBad3250 2d ago
Ask them for an itemized bill to make sure they didn't add anything incorrectly.
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u/Wooden_Load662 1d ago
Are you low income so you are uninsured? Or you choose to be uninsured? Because if you are low income they are more than lately to help you out. If you are not no income, you may have a tougher time.
There maybe another bill coming from the ED physician as they may billed separately.
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u/km0099 1d ago
The bill seems completely normal for an emergency room visit, which is why we constantly say that it is cheaper to always go for routine dental visits than it is to wait. The problem probably could have been fixed with a simple visit that would cost a couple hundred bucks at most (with no insurance) if it was done when it started (and you wouldn't have lost the tooth).
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u/geocollie 1d ago
Since you are uninsured you may also qualify for financial assistance if you are low income or a student with negative income because of an education loan.
What is low income? The poverty level for a one-person household in Ohio is $15,650 annual income and financial assistance can be offered to those with incomes up to 50% or even more higher. So if your annual income is less than $25,000, or you live in a household with dependents, I would contact the hospital and ask about applying for financial assistance.
Some hospitals and health systems offer less or no financial assistance to emergency room patients because they contract out the emergency room to another firm. Your bill from Mercy Anderson seems to indicate they operate the emergency room.
Even you are a higher income person, you may qualify for a no interest payment plan. Take the time and then visit the hospital with a recent pay stub and 2024 tax return. Consider it a kind of side hustle for a month.
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u/Complex-Ad-4271 1d ago
Reach out to the hospital and ask to be put on a payment plan. If it happened during business hours, I would have gone to a dentist or urgent care since it's so costly to go to the ER.
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u/sicnevol 1d ago edited 1d ago
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u/Godhelptupelo 1d ago
what a nice thing to do. sometimes reddit just warms my heart because of people like you! ❤️ I hope OP sees this.
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u/prickelypear 1d ago
Depending on what the ER is equipped to handle there is a base charge just for walking through the door. Found that out when I went to the ER for a broken toe. Half the bill was literally just the fact I went in. The rest was the charges for the doctor, imagining, and radiologist.
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u/CurvyGurlyWurly 1d ago
Speak with someone in Patient Financial Services. Often hospitals will give a discount if you plan on paying in full or paying with cash.
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u/New_Door9847 1d ago
Honestly, I ignore most medical debt 🤷♀️ its the absolute last thing I even pay attention to when it comes to debt. I already gotta worry about rent, utilities, groceries, pet food, childcare, insurances, student loans, personal loan payments, credit cards, other necessary expenses (repairs, replacements, etc), so why worry about medical debt? When I’m at my absolute lowest and having to seek emergency care, only to be further burdened by further debt? Fuck that. Medical debt doesnt end up affecting credit, so who gives a shit? Coming from someone who works in the medical field, many people stress and stress about medical debt. Just ignore the calls from debt collectors, and if they catch you on the phone just hang up. I’ve been doing that for years, never had my credit affected, and eventually the collection agency settles or something and then its all gone and taken care of. I do have a payment plan set up at the hospital where I get most procedures and things done (also the er i go to), so making consistent payments means they won’t turn me away or anything. The payments don’t have to be a lot either. But if its like a one time thing to go to the er for something, say fuck it and dont worry/never stress about it.
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u/Maleficent-Garage-66 1d ago
Call them up and explain you can't (and won't) pay that full bill. There's very little they can do to shake you down if you attempt to negotiate in good faith. They'll likely either write it off or offer a very low monthly payment. Can't hurt to demand they itemize the cost and argue every line item afterwards.
Ideally you'll want to track down urgent care and walk in clinics for issues that aren't possibly life and limb. But it's really not the end of the world. If you don't have 2k they're not going to be able to yoino 2k from your bank account.
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u/winerdars 1d ago
You should have gone to an emergency dentist or urgent care. As someone who is uninsured, i recommend checking out the local dental schools. I was a patient at the university of Washington school of dentistry and it was a good experience.
Most hospitals have a program that you can apply for where they will significantly reduce your bill if you qualify
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u/magic_crouton 1d ago
Er is literally the most expensive place to get medical care. If its not an emergency do urgent care or a minute clinic. Hell even do telemed on your phone.
As for what to do now call up the hospital and apply for their community benefit program or negotiate with billing.
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u/ThunderChix 1d ago
If you are low income, ask if the hospital has programs to help reduce your bill. Many do, you just have to submit documentation of your low income status and follow the procedures (fill an application for assistance for example). But you will have to ask for it.
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u/cronediddlyumptious 1d ago
Just so you don't feel so bad... My emergency visit deductible is $2000 if you're not admitted and it takes a bit to get admitted. I was there for stitches to the eyelid at 8pm and didn't have any other options. Set up a payment plan. Unless you have something close to that amount, I usually tell them I'll put them on the Sears payment plan at $20 a month until I file medical bankruptcy or they can accept $800 $1,200. Whatever you want to put out there. That's worked for me in the past as self-pay.
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u/ranstopolis 1d ago
Every ER room consumes A LOT of resources. ERs are designed to pull people back from the brink and treat complex severe illness. They are filled with gaggles of doctors and nurses, with millions of dollars of equipment and hospitals with filled with surgeons, subspecialists -- massive enterprises with incredible capabilities and very high costs.
And demand is very high. Hospitals are frequently overflowing with very sick people. Every ER room or hospital bed that is being used by one person, cannot be used by another.
So, when you go to an ED, in part you are paying for that. When you are not moving towards deaths door, urgent care, even family medicine practices (just call them up!) are much cheaper and can give exactly the same care the ED can for most routine medical issues, without the some sort of costs and overhead.
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u/anllivas 1d ago
Try to bargain with them, in case you don’t know, hospitals billing department will try to squeeze you as much as possible. If you show that you don’t care about collection and you cannot pay that 2000 dollars, they will price it down. Collection is a business, they may pay 100 dollars to buy the debt from the hospital and try to harass you to get as much as they can, so on the other hand, hospital don’t want to sell your debt cheap if you are willing to pay a discounted price. The result really depends on how you bargain with them, do not say you don’t want to get collection involved, if you show your fear the price won’t go down.
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u/The_Derpy_Walrus 1d ago
Unfortunately, ER visits are extremely expensive. If you don't have insurance, you need to not attempt to utilize healthcare until you do, unless you're willing to pay an extreme premium for even basic access. It shouldn't work that way, but it does.
On a side note, ERs hate it when people come in for dental issues or pain, so if you think you are legit having a medical emergency that could result in death or disability due to infection or whatever, go to the ER, but never go to the ER merely because your teeth hurt. Dental pain is not a medical emergency, even when it is extremely painful. All they'll give you in most cases is a huge bill, with maybe antibiotics on the side, or maybe not.
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u/CodedRose 1d ago
Request and itemized bill of services rendered. In my experience thats gotten it cut down.
From there, haggle and get on a payment plan.
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u/False-Entertainment3 1d ago
Looks like you are uninsured and paying out of pocket and received a discount too! Maybe consider buying a high deductible insurance plan. If you are insured than good news! Have the hospital send it to your insurance so that they can pay their part.
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u/misswestpalm 1d ago
Uninsured prices should be different, hospitals are supposed to have a price list, make sure you ask for one if you call for a payment plan so that theyre not charging you insured prices!
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u/Free_Purpose_5428 1d ago
Lots of hospitals have programs to help the the self-pay if you qualify and have a lower household income. Check into that too. Helped me once and they wrote my cash portion off. I will say it was a Christian based hospital though.
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u/ImyForgotName 1d ago
Ask for an itemized bill. Ask if they have some sort of pro bono or payment plan set up. Also GET HEALTH INSURANCE. I know its expensive but seriously do you see how expensive this shit is?
Also remember, this is like this because we don't have universal health care.
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u/originalsimulant 1d ago
STOP GOING TO THE ER JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE ‘SCARED’
It’s really not that hard
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u/Smart-Story-2142 1d ago
FYI you’ll likely still get a bill from the doctor, many hospitals contract out doctors. Which means that they bill separately.
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u/slickmickeygal 1d ago
many offer payment plans. i went in for a kidney stone a few years back, after waiting 8 hours to be seen, i ended up passing it (unbeknownst to me) between the time i was taken back and the time they started an IV before my scans (i asked to try to pee one more time but never heard or saw it and was still in some pain, otherwise i would have left!). still cost me almost $2K WITH insurance. i did a payment plan which they offered on their online portal but you can call too and ask for one.
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u/PhDinFineArts 1d ago
You went to the ER (the most expensive option) when you should've gone to urgent care or even a dentist. You were given a generous discount for being uninsured. You need to pay your bill. Call the finance department and ask for a payment plan if you can't afford to pay for it.
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u/OrigRayofSunshine 1d ago
You’re in Cincinnati, assuming Hamilton County. Check county and state websites for help as well. The county has a lot of tiered payment info based on income, if you qualify. As much as Ohio sucks, I think there still is state help with medical bills right now.
Not knowing what exactly was done in the ER, I’d also look into follow-up with a dentist. Explain the situation and see what each would do to work with you. I think there may actually be more availability in northern Kentucky for this, but see if there are out of state costs first.
Going by Mercy’s site info, if you’ve paid what it says, you should only owe around $500.
As for people doing the coulda / woulda / shoulda, sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know. Now you know. Chalk it up to a life lesson and try to hunt out what you need to do before going to an ER. Specialists sound expensive, but might not be as bad as this visit.
If you happen to be Clermont, there is also help, but you have to search a bit harder as their stuff isn’t always as easy to hunt down.
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u/Livid-Tumbleweed-850 1d ago
Apply for financial assistance! I had a similar ER bill that was 100 percent covered after months of back and forth with them
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u/TadpoleReasonable800 1d ago
Do you have health insurance? Yes I recommend calling the hospital and asking to get it lowered and setting up a payment plans, as far as I know medical bills won’t go to collections as long as you pay something towards them each month. I have medical bills I’ve been paying $5 month on for over a year now. Not sure if that is changing with the new administration but so far it’s helped me
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u/TadpoleReasonable800 1d ago
Also do you have a primary care doctor? If you establish care with a primary care doctor you should be able to just make an appointment with them next time and they can prescribe you medication. Usually it’s much cheaper. If you don’t have health insurance I would get it
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u/Jetshadow 1d ago
Don't pay it. It's overcharged, and you can duck it for 3 years, it disappears off credit past that.
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u/Boo_hoo_Randy 1d ago
You can 1). Move to a European country with better healthcare and/or 2). Stop voting for republicans who strive to make any healthcare even more expensive than it currently is. Oh yeah, also, you probably need to see them about setting up a payment plan. Sorry!
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u/DrLophophora 1d ago
I had an emergency room bill earlier this year, around $1,800 total. I called billing and asked if they could offer a discount if I paid in full - she immediately offered 40% off - if you can swing it, it's worth a shot.
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u/Christen0526 1d ago
Payment plan or put it on an interest free credit card and pay it off
It sucks . Sorry
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u/Evening_Ad_6667 1d ago
- Ask for an itemized bill. When you receive it, go through each and every line and make sure they didn’t charge you for gloves/needles/scalpels/etc. Then call their customer service line and go item by item asking what they charge for each item to make sure it is correctly billed.
- Call their financial assistance line and ask if they are a non-profit. If they are, ask, “do you offer charitable forgiveness?” Use those specific words.
- Ask if they are willing to negotiate the bill down if you can pay all at once.
- Ask if the hospital would be more willing to negotiate the price down with you than a collection agency.
- Don’t be afraid for it to go to claims. You have a year before it shows up on your credit report and because claims pays pennies on the dollar for your debt, they’ll just be happy to make a small profit.
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u/NOKIMI247 1d ago
NEVER EVER GO TO THE ER ON YOUR OWN 2 FEET! EVER! I learned that after I had kidney stones and they let me rot in the hallway for 4h, puking my guts out in pain, nobody cared to come with a shot until hours later. The most important thing for these vultures was to get the insurance information as soon as you come through the door.
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u/dglgr2013 1d ago
They should have a social assistance department of sorts (someone help me with a name). Many hospitals have what is called charity care. If you fall in a certain income threshold you can get either a percentage reduced, or all of it covered.
For many I have seen the threshold is 400% of poverty line. So if you make 4x the poverty line income you can benefit from the program.
They will ask a lot of financial questions and ask for w2s but this can be an option and has saved us in the past when we where just getting started to have a semblance of a career and deeply in debt to not have thousands of crippling dollars added to the items to worry about.
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u/Sup3rphi1 1d ago
It sucks, but this is one way they help make sure only those who really need the ER go to the ER
If it were a bad enough injury or need, you wouldn't think twice about this cost.
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u/FoldNaive5660 1d ago
That’s so stressful, especially after something scary like a tooth abscess. A $2,000 bill for vitals and a prescription sounds insane!
Definitely ask again for a fully itemized bill — sometimes they leave out key details that you can challenge. Also ask if they have a financial assistance or self-pay discount program (most hospitals do, they just don’t advertise it).
I’d also check out MediLoop — you can upload your bill and they’ll help review it for errors or overcharges and even help with negotiations. Could be worth trying before you pay anything.
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u/MSM_757 1d ago edited 1d ago
That's cheap. I was in the ER recently, and just my IV fluids cost that much. Total bill was. $8,995.86. Consider yourself lucky.
Most hospitals have what they call charitable relief programs. If your income is low enough and you don't have insurance, there's a possibility you can have them write the whole thing off. You want to call and speak with the hospital's on staff social worker. They have access to all the assistive programs available to you. If they don't, they can put you in contact with the person who does.
A few years ago I had a bill for over $6,000. After speaking to the social worker the hospital wrote the whole thing off. I paid nothing. I wouldn't make that a habit though. The reason why hospital prices are so damn high is because of programs like these. As well as low insurance payouts and reimbursement rates. But that's another issue all together. Either way they have to absorb that cost somewhere and that's why hospital bills are as high as they are. So be mindful of that. If you can afford to arrange payments then you should. However. If you are really and truly out of options, then yes. Speak to the hospital's social worker and see what they can do. There's a chance you can have the whole thing written off. But please don't do that if you don't have to. These programs exist in most major hospitals. But they should be considered a last resort only. Some hospitals also have a limit on how many times you can use these programs in a year. All things to consider.
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u/AcanthaceaeTimely924 1d ago
It’s like 2,000 dollars just to take a bed. I experienced something very similar where I had sciatica (didn’t know at the time) and I had an extreme burning pain in my ankle (literally felt like I had gotten a third degree burn on it) and I couldn’t walk on it so I went to the ER to make sure I didn’t break anything. Got in, got my vitals checked, told them my symptoms and was told it was sciatica, got a steroid shot and was released. $2000 for 5 minutes with a doctor. I was PISSED and still am and I don’t really know of anything you can do about it.
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u/AloneCalendar2143 1d ago
Is that the only impression you got? I was referring to the folks you’ve seen who have long standing oral infections. I was referring to those clients who ought to have come in much sooner because infections like that can, etc, yada yada, etc.
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u/Schoony923 1d ago
Ask for an itemized breakdown and then start arguing the stuff they are charging way too much for
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u/johng2010 1d ago
It won’t help now but they’re are apps for this, I had one awhile ago paid 20 dollars for an online visit and then 10 dollars for my meds, learned from this same situation probably 15 years ago. Now I just use the apps
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u/Extra-Star6516 1d ago
My husband cut his hand open a month ago and we rushed to the ER. After waiting hours to be seen, doctor comes in and placed 9 sutures. We were handed an almost $5,000 dlls bill for it. We are currently making payments. $3,000 was just to check into the ER. The rest was the doctor’s bill. Which also came separate from the ER bill. I asked around and apparently it’s normal?
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u/Rough-Marionberry991 1d ago
Call the billing department and beg for a price reduction and payment plan. They definitely do that sometimes
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u/sunkissedbutter 1d ago
While this depends on where you live, there are plenty of dentists who accept emergency appointments. If you experience a tooth issue like this again, try doing that instead.
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u/Quick-Leopard-183 22h ago
I spent 16 hours in the ER for a traumatic fall. Didn't even get to see a doctor. Literally read all the reports on the portal to make sure my spinal cord wasn't damaged. When I saw it was only a broken back I discharged myself and went home and made an appointment with my neurosurgeon. They charged me 10k for the ambulance ride and 10k for the ER. Insane.
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u/Dangerous-Handle-280 22h ago
Someone said it already but Google search to see if the specific hospital will wipe out or lower the bill based on your annual income.
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u/cchtiger00 22h ago
Many hospitals have a financial assistance program. It takes about a month to get through the process but if you are close to the federal poverty line they will likely write off a portion of your bill. The billing department will have all the details and paperwork required.
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u/Ok_Industry4950 21h ago
This bill seems pretty typical for an ER visit. Mine was 5 grand with my insurance.
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u/Trynamakeliving 21h ago
Call the billing office and ask how you can apply for assistance/forgiveness of the bill. You will have loads of paperwork to fill out but they may forgive all or part of the bill.
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u/mycatsucks 20h ago
Set up an autopay through your bank's website for a low amount, $10 a month, and they can't send it to collections. I took over 10 years to pay off an ambulance bill. Don't set it up with them, do bill pay through your bank as it auto sends the money. As long as you keep paying you're good.
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u/user762828 20h ago
You can contact the billing dept and see if they can write it off as a charitable donation. You’ll prob have to prove income somehow or show financial hardship. I did this several times in college
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u/MustardHotSauce 19h ago
Look for their Financial Aid/Charity Care options. May be a paperwork headache, but it can save you money.
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u/SoftRecommendation86 19h ago
I had a broken off shard in my heal. Asked repeatedly how much it would cost. Even went to the billing desk. No one would tell me.. urgent care wheeled me to emergency since it was infected. Repeatedly asked how much it was going to be. Has I known it was going to be over 3k$, I would have cut it out myself with an exacto kit. I could feel the piece, just didn't want to over cut to get it out. Aka, doc did it.
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u/BigRog70 19h ago
Don’t use the ER for non emergencies lol maybe go to your dentist or your primary care doctor
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u/Opening_Illustrator2 18h ago
I recently found out that the least emergent your situation is, the more you pay for the exam. I found this out after 3 ER trips in a weekend, where each one was more emergent than the last. The first one, when I was first feeling pretty bad, was about $1500. The 3rd, where I was screaming in the ER, was only $550. When possible, ALWAYS go to another doctor.
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u/Aethenosity 17h ago
Call them and say this: "I cannot pay this bill"
They will pass you onto someone else, but it is very likely you can get it at least SOMEWHAT reduced. After that reduction, ask to be put on a payment plan.
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u/PaisleyAbbey 16h ago
To start, vote for candidates that support healthcare for all. Call them and ask if they will settle for 25% in cash.
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u/northwestfawn 15h ago
See if the hospital has a charity program I was told most hospitals have options for assistance for low income people
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u/Coronus53 11h ago
Asked for an itemized bill. This can actually bring your bill down even more in some cases and then get on a payment plan with billing.
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u/Agreeable_Leopard_39 8h ago
Make payment arrangements. Even 10 dollars a week keeps you from being sent to collections just don’t miss any payments. Hospitals are extremely expensive.
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u/Norcalrain3 7h ago
I just got hit with $1100 and I have insurance! They even said they ‘gave me Tylenol’ which they did NOT. I got an assessment, blood testing, and a scan so I expected it to hurt. Sighhh… This is why so many don’t go in even when needed.
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u/Forward-Lie3053 5h ago
If it was a nonemergency, you should’ve gone to urgent care. But a hospital emergency room you’re paying for the building, multiple services and the pharmacy. That’s why it is as as much as it is.
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u/Professional-Pen8656 5h ago
Contact the hospital and ask if they have a charity or spin down program you can apply for. Most do
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u/ibacktracedit 4h ago
Lifehack: don't pay it. They can't refuse you future treatment, and they can't affect your credit score. ER bills are suggestions at BEST, and that's coming from someone who's been chronically ill since birth. Fuck em.
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u/No-Series8471 1h ago
See my plan is just to go until i cant keep walking anymore. And then ill crawl lol.
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u/ArnTheGreat 5m ago
Urgent Care is typically much cheaper than ER. As for how to pay this bill, you can reach out to them to setup a payment plan.
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u/CartographerKey7237 2d ago
Emergency care in the US is expensive. Seems like a pretty average cost for emergency care to me. Ask for a payment plan from their billing dept?