Clarification needed on hospital bills / insurance for visitor

[shrikanthk]

Dear all

I'm an Indian, based out of Jersey City working in NYC since 2015. I am on an L1A visa.

My mother has been visiting me since May of this year and is heading back to India in October. I got her health insurance with Seven Corners with a premium of $250. But it was not a "comprehensive" plan. In early July she had some breathlessness. We panicked a bit and rushed to ER in the nearby hospital. They undertook several diagnostic tests for her. In fact I still don't have the clarity on all the checks that were done because it happened in a hurry. After monitoring for 2-3 hours, they deemed her to be stable and let us go home. So it was a bit of a false alarm.

Now I learnt about the medical bill, which totals up to $4200!! I learnt from the Insurance company that for ER on any given day they only pay around $300. I feel short changed here, especially by the hospital, because they did NOT make me aware of the costs when they did the diagnostics. And I was a bit stressed on that day and did not ask for the same or call the insurance company while in the hospital to understand the limits etc, which is understandable.

What course of action do you guys suggest? Do you think the hospital will empathise and agree to a reduced bill which I can settle. If yes, what can I hope for? I am not able to reach the yet, as it's a long Labour day weekend.

Please let me know!

[insubuy]

Unfortunately, even if you asked, hospital will not give you the price list of different tests. That is how the US healthcare works. You know the charges only when the bills come.

Yes, you can discuss with the hospital to see if they can reduce the bill to some extent. You will have to pay the rest.

We have always been advising everyone to purchase comprehensive coverage plan only as fixed coverage is too limited. Please read https://www.insubuy.com/visitors-ins...ixed-coverage/

[shrikanthk]

Unfortunately, even if you asked, hospital will not give you the price list of different tests. That is how the US healthcare works. You know the charges only when the bills come.

Yes, you can discuss with the hospital to see if they can reduce the bill to some extent. You will have to pay the rest.

We have always been advising everyone to purchase comprehensive coverage plan only as fixed coverage is too limited. Please read https://www.insubuy.com/visitors-ins...ixed-coverage/

Sure. I will bear that in mind. But my view is that I am entitled for some consideration here. I was totally new to this country. And I had absolutely no idea that an ER bill for a few tests and lasting 2-3 hours in the hospital will make me $4000 poorer. I am not a US citizen and have been working here for barely a year. My mother is not employed and doesnt have an income. Can I tell them I cannot pay unless I get a significant discount (say 50%) which I can settle out of goodwill? Because I guess the person who is liable is my mother, not me.

[insubuy]

As long as the insurance company is paying according to the terms and conditions of the policy, they can't do pay any more.

I sympathize with you. However, ignorance does not entitle you to any consideration. You can negotiate with the hospital as much as you can. It would be up to you how much discount they would want to give you. They may also have the options for installment payment or financing.

By the way, $4,000 is very common. I have seen around $40,000 also in 2-3 hours for something similar.

[shrikanthk]

As long as the insurance company is paying according to the terms and conditions of the policy, they can't do pay any more.

I sympathize with you. However, ignorance does not entitle you to any consideration. You can negotiate with the hospital as much as you can. It would be up to you how much discount they would want to give you. They may also have the options for installment payment or financing.

By the way, $4,000 is very common. I have seen around $40,000 also in 2-3 hours for something similar.

Well every customer is ignorant, until he is made aware of the costs. When you visit a furniture store, nobody sells you a Sofa/bed for an undisclosed price, only to be revealed after the purchase!!

This is a fundamentally immoral and unjust system.

[insubuy]

That is how the American healthcare system works, unfortunately.

And that is completely beyond our control.

If there is anything else we can help you with regarding the insurance, please feel free to contact us at any time.