tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477053899127840506.post2945256112499857569..comments2023-04-03T09:33:55.039-06:00Comments on Ramblings of Sheldon: My Family and Mental Illness (Part 5): Whoever Created Neurontin Deserves a Nobel PrizeSheldon Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17660822618786253558noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477053899127840506.post-46803384072932046962013-10-24T19:50:45.816-05:002013-10-24T19:50:45.816-05:00Oh yes, it's all about business, and even the ...Oh yes, it's all about business, and even the "non-profit" hospitals still act like businesses, paying their CEO'S 6 and even 7 figure salaries.Sheldon Cooperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17660822618786253558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477053899127840506.post-7929818373126221202013-10-24T17:47:53.298-05:002013-10-24T17:47:53.298-05:0060% decreases wow, just shows that hospitals have ...60% decreases wow, just shows that hospitals have become business and do not care anymore about the reason they exist.Christianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01243905647317437724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477053899127840506.post-89142816884038510292013-10-24T13:33:20.878-05:002013-10-24T13:33:20.878-05:00Be glad, be very glad that you have never had to d...Be glad, be very glad that you have never had to deal with government aid agencies. I had said that they had given us Medicaid, it was a big help, both I and my mother were on it until I was 19, we didn't have any other kind of coverage, and it covered the leftover bills for my dad, and covered him until Medicare kicked in. <br /><br />It was a relief and a headache at the same time though, they can be irritating to deal with, especially since they were often late in paying back doctors, and so quite a few doctors in the area refused to take it (though many had a policy that if you were already a patient before getting Medicaid, they would accept it anyway).<br /><br />Like you said, many people don't know that you can negotiate with doctors if you talk to them before the appointment is made, some will agree to reduce their prices, or agree only to take what insurance or Medicare/Medicaid gives them, and not pursue you for any more money.<br /><br />Sometimes even after the fact, you can negotiate, if you were hospitalized, or went to a doctor's office, and insurance didn't pay much of the bill.<br /><br />I had that happen last year, went to a urgent care walk in for something minor (not doing that again), they gave my insurance an unjustifiably high bill, which they only paid half off. It took two months for them to get back to me, but someone in the hospital billing department had me file an appeal with a committee that reviewed bills, and reduced them if they felt you couldn't afford it. They wanted proof of income (I can't remember if I sent copies of tax forms or pay stubs), but they reduced it by about 60%.<br /><br />I'm complaining a lot about government agencies, but like I said, next update, I'll be talking about one that really did help. Sheldonhttp://ramblingsofsheldonb.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7477053899127840506.post-89001298383116230272013-10-24T10:38:00.351-05:002013-10-24T10:38:00.351-05:00I've never had to deal much with this kind of ...I've never had to deal much with this kind of thing as far as govt agencies apart from the DMV or whatever. I know that when we were uninsured, many doctors worked with us, too.Alicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00380432930727921469noreply@blogger.com