HIPPA, Hippo, Hadda, Coulda, Woulda

[fullygoldy]

I have just learned that thanks to the latest incarnation of HIPPA, none of my family's health care providers will perform "family billing" this year.  That means that each provider sends out a bill for each patient, each and every month.

The lineup so far:

DH
Hematologist - balance ~$7,000
Hematologist Hospital - balance ~$13,000
Bone Marrow Transplant & Emergency Room Hospital - balance ~$400 and growing
Bone Marrow Transplant Doctor - balance ~who knows?  Follow up appointments will continue at least through 2007
Pharmacy Expenses - this will be fun - immune suppressing drugs are almost as expensive as blood growth drugs

Rupert
Family Dr - balance ~$366
Emergency Room Visit - balance ~$4000

Mavis
Family Dr - balance ~$100
X-rays - have to be scheduled, will be a few hundred probably

Me
Family Dr, physical & mammogram(s) - balance ~$950

That amounts to 10 individual invoices each month, thank you very little.

For this bounty of medical care, I am already committed to paying a minimum of $600/month, so yep, luxury car payment.  It's a good thing we only have one car payment and fairly reliable vehicles, non?  Add on top of my payment plan, $290/week (yes, I mean WEEK) for health insurance premiums.  For a policy that has NO in-network providers or hospitals in our area.  Which means every service we receive in 2007 will be covered at 55% max, after our deductibles.  Our maximum out-of-pocket it $4000/person or $12000 family.  DH will max out in the first 3-4 months, probably.  So - imported luxury car payment, here we come. Oh joy, unconfined.

Comments

What the world needs now...

[bzdchris.livejournal.com]

(or at least this frickin' country) is a single-payer health insurance system. Socialism be damned! After reading this, and seeing what the clients in my office go through, I believe it's way past time to do away with the waste inherent in the current health insurance system. But then, I also think pot should be legalized. *sigh*

Re: What the world needs now...

[fullygoldy.livejournal.com]

well, with Hillary throwing her hat into the ring, it may get another airing... ::crosses fingers::

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh holy cow. I read your comment in my LJ and had to check out what was going on (the price for not filtering is that I only follow my f-list at random). And to think I used to work with a company intimately involved in HIPAA. This is ridiculous.

I hope you're feeling better, too. *magically pays bills for you and pling! makes an in-network provider appear* Sometimes if there's an ongoing health issue a doctor will consider becoming an in-network provider. Sometimes.

Icarus

[fullygoldy.livejournal.com]

Wow, I wish I had those magical powers at my disposal all the time! Thanks for the wishes. I've considered asking the main doctors if they would be willing/able to join the network. It's worth a try anyway. The weird thing is how completely this insurance covered the very specialised treatment for MDS (BMT) and yet, will practically cover nothing for the rest of us normally healthy folks. All in all though, I have to say that I'm glad it wasn't the other way around, or we'd be making extra house payments instead of extra car payments.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Give it a try. They won't do it for just a healthy person who comes in a couple times a year, but for someone with a chronic medical condition, well, most doctors get into the field because they want to do good. :)