When I started bleeding with my second miscarriage, I went to the local ER (I live in the middle of nowhere, the closest ER is kind of podunk). The attending doc refused to call anyone with OB experience, did an abdominal u/s on me (when I was 7 weeks pregnant), told me nothing, and sent me on my way. OH and also felt the need to run a STD panel on me as well, without my knowledge or consent.
So, they're trying to charge us for the visit (obviously), including $250 for the STD panel. Um, ex-fvcking-cuse me? I'm not paying for that! I was bleeding out my baby, there was no need to test me for STDs. And if it was protocol, they needed to at least inform me of it.
DH called the hospital when we initially got the bill, and said we wouldn't be paying it. They said the doctor would be calling me to discuss it. He never called, we thought the matter was closed and moved on.
Yeah, the hospital sent me to collections - I just got the phone call.
WTH do I do now? I refuse to pay this $hit!
Re: Awesome. The hospital sent me to collections.
I'm so sorry, Em. This is total bull. I would write a firey letter to the hospital and include all of the facts, and send it to multiple persons, like the billing department, the ER doc and the CEO or whoever at the top. The key is to include someone with power who can fix it.
I've done this with several wrong billings and have always seen it taken care of. I hope it gets fixed for you too!
Missed m/c 11.09 | Missed m/c 3.10 | We miss you & love you so.
~ ~ ~
Formerly toddandjulie
You have to be kidding me. You're damn right they should have informed you before running any tests.
I would talk to the hospital again, and explain that you were not informed of, nor gave consent for these tests, and therefore you are not willing to pay for them. Take it from there.
Grrr, I'm sorry.
That sucks. Call and yell at everyone you can. That's what I would do. Ask to talk to the biller, and the doc who you were told would call you. In the mean time maybe pay the portion not including the STD panel. As far as I know they can't send you to collections if you are making payments, so that would at least defer going to collections until it gets all sorted out.
Sorry you're dealing with this nonsense.
-m/c at 11w2d due to partial molar 2008 -m/c #2 2009
Beautiful daughter born February 2011
**Ultimate TTCALer 2009**
Thanks ladies. DH is on the phone with the hospital now, hopefully getting this sorted out for once (he's meaner than I am, I send him out to do the hard negotiating ;-)).
The collection agency did give me the instructions for how to dispute it through them too, which I will do as well.
This whole thing is just such a PITA. FU miscarriage
Jenn
IVF#1 BFN IVF#2 BFP, loss at 19 weeks FET#1 BFN IVF#3 BFP, m/c FET#2 BFN
Missing our twins Zachary and Madison, lost at 19 weeks on 11/13/09, edd 4/9/10
BFP 7/17/10, m/c 7/25/10, edd 3/25/11
Ectopic, lost left tube 4/20/11, edd 12/6/11
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