Speaking of misinformation - the corporate mouthpiece

On 2009-09-18 02:29:56 -0700, Bob Larter said:

Savageduck wrote:
It seems to me to be an accounting exercise.
In 2002 my wife had a brain haemorrage due to a ruptured cerebral
angeoma. The total billing came to a total of $585,000. Blue Cross PPO
only allowed and paid $232,000 to the hospital and other providers. My
total out of pocket expenses were $12,800.
Three years later she needed another surgery related to the first.
Total billing was $345,000, Blue Cross paid $178,000 & my share was
$3,800.
In 2006 there were further complications resulting in hospitalization
running another $180,000 in bills, Blue Cross share $95,000, mine
$3,800.
She never fully recovered and was bed ridden at home until December
2007 when she died. Through all that time the insurance would only pay
for 1 monthly visit of a home care nurse, and that had to be
preapproved. All extra care I paid for. I was fortunate I was able to.

I suspect with this chapter in American health care with Total billing
of $799,500 and $505,000 paid by Blue Cross and my out of pocket costs
of $20,400, the hospital and the various providers could claim an
assessed tax loss totalling $274,100 as they did not receive the amount
the had bill.

And if that had happened in Australia, you wouldn't have had to pay a
cent out of your own pocket.

Unfortunately we were not in Australia, and I did have to pay.
I have few complaints over the quality of treatment and care she
received. The most frustrating and annoying thing was the hospital
business management. On the three occasions Sue was hospitalized in a
critical condition, there was constant harassment from a business
office clerical type, and I had to control myself from reacting
violently. You have no idea what it is like to have your wife in a coma
in ICU, with drain tubing in her skull, and some office flunky is
giving you a running commentary of how many days insurance company
approval, for continued hospitalization she has obtained.
It was almost as if we were being accused of trying to defraud the
hospital and insurance company, and this individual was acting as an
agent of the insurance company. I finally filed a complaint with the
hospital administration and they kept well away from us.
The nursing and other care was exemplary.

--
Regards,

Savageduck