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If you read the article, the hospital made a mistake, didn’t know she’s an out-of-network patient, so got the insurance wrong. If you only read the title, it s

If you read the article, the hospital made a mistake, didn’t know she’s an out-of-network patient, so got the insurance wrong. If you only read the title, it sounds like the hospital scammed her. All the reports on this news sound this way. The downvotes are crazy. I in no way indicated that the woman should pay the full amount because of the hospital’s mistake. Also, if you have an open mind, you could see another perspective: her insurance is amazingly good, cutting $23k bill to $1.3k.

mlyle 4y ago
> If you only read the title, it sounds like the hospital scammed her. All the reports on this news sound this way. Well, personally: if I'm told that something will cost me $1300, and then there's a mistake, and they'll actually consult a big pile of papers that I'm not allowed to see to decide what to charge me... that sounds like a scam. With an accurate estimate and correct information about the hospital not being in network, she would have chosen a different provider for her surgery. > Also, if you have an open mind, you could see another perspective: her insurance is amazingly good, cutting $23k bill to $1.3k. ? Hospital estimated $1300 after her insurance, and provided no other info. Then she was billed $229,000. No one cut her bill to $1.3k, other than the legal system requiring the hospital to honor its original estimate after litigation.
spywaregorilla 4y ago
One should not need to pay $230k for back surgery regardless of circumstances.
- temp8964 4y ago
  What’s your point against my comment?
adra 4y ago
Let's say I bought a server from Dell. They quote me a cost of $6000. Maybe they assumed I was part of an MVP program that I hadn't been aware of. I have it delivered and installed and later the rep invoices me the price at 1 million dollars for the server because they made a "mistake" on the discount. I may have signed a resale agreement telling them that I'd pay for the hardware sent to me, so tell me how this is fair and equitable trade practices? It may be viable to ship the server back and call the sale a wash, but there's no rolling back medical treatment.
- temp8964 4y ago
  What’s your point against my comment?
  - Closi 4y ago
    I'm not OP, their point is that in any other consumer-facing industry you can't just give someone an estimate, provide zero other guidance on pricing, get them to sign a contract that says they have to pay you whatever you want (and if they don't sign, they don't get potentially lifesaving care), and then after delivery of the good/service you then charge an entirely different amount which is 200x higher because 'oops yeah our bad we got the estimate wrong by a factor of 200 but you have to pay that now, tough luck'. In reality, consumers in the USA seem to have more protection buying a can of beans than they do in paying for cancer care - but this doesn't have to be the case!
    - temp8964 4y ago
      Did you read my comment? Where did I support the hospital?
      - cmeacham98 4y ago
        I can't tell if you're trolling or being serious? > If you read the article, the hospital made a mistake, didn’t know she’s an out-of-network patient, so got the insurance wrong. Surely you understand putting this with nothing else next to it is making excuses for the hospital and implying the patient is in the wrong?
        temp8964 4y ago
        Where did I imply the patient is in the wrong?
        mlyle 4y ago
        At this point I think everyone decides you're trolling. I hope that's it, rather than just being so bad at understanding what the comment you're replying to is saying.
LeoNatan25 4y ago
The hospital making a mistake and then over-billing her is scamming her. Made a mistake? Take responsibility.
- temp8964 4y ago
  - LeoNatan25 4y ago
    Your comment makes it seem as if the title has been editorialized unfairly, when, in fact, it is very apt and to the point. Also, your attitude.
  - DangitBobby 4y ago
    I should not be held liable for your fuckup. You tell me a price, were wrong, and sold me something that inherently cannot be returned, you fucked up. Not me. Your money is gone. Maybe you should be insured against your own fuckups. I understand that it being an estimate muddies the waters a bit, but if a contractor estimated $2k to do my windows and it cost him $200k (somehow??!) any contract that holds me liable is clearly unconscionable. I would hold that contractor in the same contempt as I do this hospital.
    - Ekaros 4y ago
      I would expect them not to procedure before getting approval. Same as contractor.

mlyle 4y ago

> If you only read the title, it sounds like the hospital scammed her. All the reports on this news sound this way. Well, personally: if I'm told that something will cost me $1300, and then there's a mistake, and they'll actually consult a big pile of papers that I'm not allowed to see to decide what to charge me... that sounds like a scam. With an accurate estimate and correct information about the hospital not being in network, she would have chosen a different provider for her surgery. > Also, if you have an open mind, you could see another perspective: her insurance is amazingly good, cutting $23k bill to $1.3k. ? Hospital estimated $1300 after her insurance, and provided no other info. Then she was billed $229,000. No one cut her bill to $1.3k, other than the legal system requiring the hospital to honor its original estimate after litigation.

spywaregorilla 4y ago

One should not need to pay $230k for back surgery regardless of circumstances.

temp8964 4y ago
What’s your point against my comment?

adra 4y ago

Let's say I bought a server from Dell. They quote me a cost of $6000. Maybe they assumed I was part of an MVP program that I hadn't been aware of. I have it delivered and installed and later the rep invoices me the price at 1 million dollars for the server because they made a "mistake" on the discount. I may have signed a resale agreement telling them that I'd pay for the hardware sent to me, so tell me how this is fair and equitable trade practices? It may be viable to ship the server back and call the sale a wash, but there's no rolling back medical treatment.

temp8964 4y ago
What’s your point against my comment?
- Closi 4y ago
  I'm not OP, their point is that in any other consumer-facing industry you can't just give someone an estimate, provide zero other guidance on pricing, get them to sign a contract that says they have to pay you whatever you want (and if they don't sign, they don't get potentially lifesaving care), and then after delivery of the good/service you then charge an entirely different amount which is 200x higher because 'oops yeah our bad we got the estimate wrong by a factor of 200 but you have to pay that now, tough luck'. In reality, consumers in the USA seem to have more protection buying a can of beans than they do in paying for cancer care - but this doesn't have to be the case!
  - temp8964 4y ago
    Did you read my comment? Where did I support the hospital?
    - cmeacham98 4y ago
      I can't tell if you're trolling or being serious? > If you read the article, the hospital made a mistake, didn’t know she’s an out-of-network patient, so got the insurance wrong. Surely you understand putting this with nothing else next to it is making excuses for the hospital and implying the patient is in the wrong?
      - temp8964 4y ago
        Where did I imply the patient is in the wrong?
        mlyle 4y ago
        At this point I think everyone decides you're trolling. I hope that's it, rather than just being so bad at understanding what the comment you're replying to is saying.

LeoNatan25 4y ago

The hospital making a mistake and then over-billing her is scamming her. Made a mistake? Take responsibility.

temp8964 4y ago
- LeoNatan25 4y ago
  Your comment makes it seem as if the title has been editorialized unfairly, when, in fact, it is very apt and to the point. Also, your attitude.
- DangitBobby 4y ago
  I should not be held liable for your fuckup. You tell me a price, were wrong, and sold me something that inherently cannot be returned, you fucked up. Not me. Your money is gone. Maybe you should be insured against your own fuckups. I understand that it being an estimate muddies the waters a bit, but if a contractor estimated $2k to do my windows and it cost him $200k (somehow??!) any contract that holds me liable is clearly unconscionable. I would hold that contractor in the same contempt as I do this hospital.
  - Ekaros 4y ago
    I would expect them not to procedure before getting approval. Same as contractor.