I'm not sure exactly how Doctors, hospitals, specialists and labs expect to get paid. Well, I do, but I'm not sure how they fail to take a logical approach to the payment process. Here's what I mean.
Typical visits to the Dr and minor emergencies while an unexpected expense, are manageable. You just figure out where to find a few hundred dollars after the insurance company covers their share. It's annoying, but no biggie.
Now, god forbid something catastrophic should happen. A major illness, a serious accident, something requiring thousands, or hundreds of thousands in medical expense. The insurance company quibbles over every dime they pay out. Some labs or doctor's that you had to use, aren't in your network. The insurance company feels that there was unnecessary and duplicate services, so some things aren't covered at all. Some places just fail to bill the insurance completely and you spend time haggling over that.
Now lets just assume that the horror ends there. You have, after insurance, thousands of dollars in medical bills, all due at the same approximate time. Now. Do you see the problem here? Most of us don't have thousands of dollars laying around extra to payout. I don't.
Now, let us assume that your horror did not in fact end with the medical drama. Let's assume that you incurred funeral expenses. And grave expenses. And a headstone expense. None of these things are inexpensive. Even though there are some phenomenally wonderful people at the funeral home who only charge you for the casket and transportation, and absorb the cost for the service and visitation. The city still demands that you pay them up front for a piece of real estate in which to lay your infant daughter to rest. See the growing problem?
So what's the solution? Beats the hell out of me. If someone can figure it out, let me know. I'm drowning here.
Typical visits to the Dr and minor emergencies while an unexpected expense, are manageable. You just figure out where to find a few hundred dollars after the insurance company covers their share. It's annoying, but no biggie.
Now, god forbid something catastrophic should happen. A major illness, a serious accident, something requiring thousands, or hundreds of thousands in medical expense. The insurance company quibbles over every dime they pay out. Some labs or doctor's that you had to use, aren't in your network. The insurance company feels that there was unnecessary and duplicate services, so some things aren't covered at all. Some places just fail to bill the insurance completely and you spend time haggling over that.
Now lets just assume that the horror ends there. You have, after insurance, thousands of dollars in medical bills, all due at the same approximate time. Now. Do you see the problem here? Most of us don't have thousands of dollars laying around extra to payout. I don't.
Now, let us assume that your horror did not in fact end with the medical drama. Let's assume that you incurred funeral expenses. And grave expenses. And a headstone expense. None of these things are inexpensive. Even though there are some phenomenally wonderful people at the funeral home who only charge you for the casket and transportation, and absorb the cost for the service and visitation. The city still demands that you pay them up front for a piece of real estate in which to lay your infant daughter to rest. See the growing problem?
So what's the solution? Beats the hell out of me. If someone can figure it out, let me know. I'm drowning here.
I have yet to discover one positive thing about what you are going through....Usually I can find something but not this time. This whole process is brutal but then you are living it and that makes my heart break for you. I'm going to start buying lottery tickets because that is the only thing I can do for you except send my love and prayers.
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