Bottom Feeders coming

Giant Poodles
Giant Poodles Member Posts: 79
in Breast Cancer #1
Hey guys, I have been gone for a while trying to get back in the swing of things. I am just now going through all the Explaination of Benefits from insurance. I had been paying a little a month on each hospital bill. Paid off all the different doctors. Well I guess that was not good enough the 100,000 that my insurance paid. There is a bottom feeder lawyer who owns a collection agency and he wants the other 2,000 from me. He said the small amount I was paying was not enough. Times are hard enough and now this. I know I need to put this in God's hands.

Love to All,
Rhonda

Comments

  • Double Whammy
    Double Whammy Member Posts: 2,832 Member
    #2
    Talk to the billing office
    of the health care provider you're getting the bills from. Ask them if they accept Medicare. Ask them first, before you ask if there's anything they can do about your bill. If they say yes, then ask them if they'd be willing to adjust your bill to the Medicare rate. It's very likely that you will owe nothing because your insurance will have paid more than Medicare, anyway. If they say no, then ask them if they are a preferred provider and have a contracted rate with your insurance company. If they do and your responsibility is 20% (or whatever), it should be 20% of the rate they're contracted for, not 20% of the total bill.

    This link http://www.patientadvocate.org/ helps with copay assistance. So will Komen. If you're in California, I have another excellent resource.

    Suzanne
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #3
    Double Whammy said:

    Talk to the billing office
    of the health care provider you're getting the bills from. Ask them if they accept Medicare. Ask them first, before you ask if there's anything they can do about your bill. If they say yes, then ask them if they'd be willing to adjust your bill to the Medicare rate. It's very likely that you will owe nothing because your insurance will have paid more than Medicare, anyway. If they say no, then ask them if they are a preferred provider and have a contracted rate with your insurance company. If they do and your responsibility is 20% (or whatever), it should be 20% of the rate they're contracted for, not 20% of the total bill.

    This link http://www.patientadvocate.org/ helps with copay assistance. So will Komen. If you're in California, I have another excellent resource.

    Suzanne

    Sorry for the the bills
    I have been in the similar situation for more than three years now. Please check all your bills, making sure they are correct, no double billing or misplaced payments. All in network providers cannot charge you more than EOB say with exception of co-payments and co-insurance which has maximum, after it should pay 100% of negotiated price. Going through my bills and negotiation has been a;most as a full-time job for me. Unfortunately, It takes time and concentration
    Filing for a bankruptcy can be an option too. Let us know an outcome.
    Hugs
  • mollieb
    mollieb Member Posts: 148
    #4
    It's only $2000?
    Really? Bottom feeder is right! Let them sue. Go to court, tell the judge your story, tell him/her you have been paying so much every month and you are willing to continue to pay that much every month, and you told the lawyer that, and you would very much appreciate it if he doesn't award court costs because it would be just too much. In my city, the judge would issue a ruling that you could continue to pay what you have been paying, and would not award court costs.

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