Perhaps I came across wrong somewhere in my previous e-mail but your hospital's itemized list below it that is what I would expect. I spent three hours in the emergency room last August because my home health nurse was not able to get my catheter in. Incompetence. The first time in 28 and half years that a nurse could not get my catheter in!
Sooo... fortunately my urologist was available and she met me at the hospital ER. She slid it in lickety-split no problem. I can't recall, and don't know where it is right now, but my hospital itemized bill probably would not be much different if I was there to treat a UTI like you. The ER visit WAS HELL though during the almost 2 hours that I had to wait for my doctor to get there. When I went in as an outpatient the summer before last to have many big bladder stones removed ... my list was probably similar. But my urologist (who did the surgery) charged me very little for her outpatient surgery. That was a separate bill. But there was the hospital bill, the anesthesiologist bill (epidural and then mildly sedated), etc etc etc. Since I do not have a Medicare supplement (had to drop mine about 3 1/2 or four years ago because the premiums were too much) ... I am responsible for 20% of all bills. There was really no justification for a CT scan for you. But INDEED *FOR THEM*. $$$ I went to the emergency room probably three different times between 1981 in 1992 and all they did was a urinalysis and gave me an antibiotic. NOW ... doctors, hospitals, clinics have all gotten into the greedy ballpark game and charge anything and everything they can! They do unnecessary tests or procedures and secretly tack on extra money for the air that you breathed while you were in there. LOL What was the bottom line for you as to how much you were responsible for the bill? Or do you wait for the CMS explanation of benefits to see what you are responsible for? They usually only get what Medicare will pay unless you have another insurance. Lori Age - 43 C4/5 complete quad, 28 1/2 years post Tucson, AZ On Tue, Jul 1, 2008 at 7:24 AM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > *Well, you'll be more flabbergasted to hear that it's the opposite in FL. > * > ** > *I spent 8 hours in the ER on a Sunday last month due to a UTI. I saw 2 > doctors, had one CT scan, was administered 2 pain meds and 1 antibiotic > (100mL Levaquin) by IV. Here is the Medicare statement I received.* > ** > *Amount billed $6,557.09 > Medicare is paying $481.70* > *Itemized list: > Urinalysis & scope $99.25 > Levaquin $121.25 > Tx/pro/dx injection same drug addon $363.75 > Tx/pro/dx new drug addon $242.50 > ER visit $452 > 2 CAT scans $4,458.25 > Pharmacy $182.90 > Med/surg supplies $148.24 > Routine venipuncture $9.24 > Comprehensive metabolic panel $157.25 > Blood culture for bacteria $108.25 > Complete CBC with auto diff $44.10 > Hydromorphone injection $40.00 > Morphine sulfate $120.10 > Ambulance $374.75 (Medicare approved $324.64 and paid $259.71) > Radiology Assoc. $236.00 (Medicare approved $110.06 paid $88.05)* > > In a message dated 6/30/2008 8:18:34 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > So doctors, hospitals, clinics, etc. are definitely getting paid more by > the *Federal Medicare* program but it is the feds to set it up that way to > begin with! > *Bill > C6 Incomplete since 7/20/68 > Age 57 > Leesburg, FL > *Don't get your knickers in a knot, it solves nothing; and makes you > walk funny. > > > > > ------------------------------ > Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for fuel-efficient used > cars<http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007> > . > -- Lori C4/5 complete quad, 27 years post Tucson, AZ
