Seniors and Medical bills

[ilvgolf]

First of all, I am not an attorney, nor do I profess to be one. The information I am providing has been from actual experience. And, just wanted all of you to be aware of something you can do - legally - and without ramification.

Did you know that when you go to the doctor, hospital, use an ambulance service, etc. and they have you sign a "consent" form, that that form now contains the statement that you will accept personal responsibility for any amounts not covered by your insurance company? Well, that "statement" used to be on a separate piece of paper, and evidently, there were a lot of people - like myself - that refused to sign that piece of paper. So, now they have "incorporated" that statement onto the "consent" page. No one really looks at that but you should and here's what you need to do. Look for that sentence (it usually falls into the 2nd paragraph), find it, and circle the whole sentence, draw a line to the side and put "I do not agree", initial it, and then sign the consent paper. This small act may save you a bundle. One day when I was at the Sharon Morse building for a CAT scan, they handed me that piece of paper, I did just what I told you to do, and the lady at the desk challenged me about it and told me I couldn't do that. Well, I told her that that statement used to be on a separate form but since people got wise to it, they then incorporated it onto the "consent" page - and that my insurance company told me I didn't have to agree to that - so that is what I was doing - not agreeing to it. Well, she went back to her supervisor, then came back and told me once again that I couldn't do that, so I told her that if I didn't agree to the personal responsibility clause, did that mean that they were going to refuse me service and if that was the case then I guess I just needed to report them and perhaps get their license to do business removed. Well, needless to say they did provide me with service, and still do, and I don't get any "extra" bills. So, be on the lookout for this - and if they question you about it, just say you are not agreeing to that particular statement - because you don't have to in order to be treated or receive their service and if they don't like it then perhaps you need to report them to the proper medical watch dogs. I just get so tired of senior citizens getting medical bills for things their insurance didn't cover simply because they signed that statement. I Have afriend, 87 years old who is paying for her husband's medical treatment in 1999 and 2000 (he died in 2000) but because she signed that "personally responsibility" statement, she has to pay it.
(note: I am helping her to get it written off, but it will take some time - but I truly believe it will happen - just thought I would pass that along in case anyone was wondering about it). Have a good day. Monica

[Russ_Boston]

I think many people are not aware of this due to the fact that most insurances you have while working are HMO type where there is no EXTRA cost beyond what is covered by ins. Even many PPO types have only an upfront copay with no extra costs.

When transitioning into another coverage you should always be aware of what is covered and up to what limit. I was even able to negotiate copays with my provider. I basically told him that since i needed to come back every week for the foreseeable future (a year long allergy desensitizing deal) that i could not afford my usual $15 copay each time. The truth was that i could have but it seemed like a reasonable offer to let him collect the $150 office visit each week minus my $15 copay rather than not have my business at all.

As always - most things in life are negotiable!

[LvmyPug]

Unfortunately, in our country healthcare is not a right. So while I agree you may be able to negotiate your co-pays, refusing to sign a financial responsibility form may result in you not getting the care you desire or need. Most healthcare providers are only required to provide care regardless of payment when the patient is in imminent danger of death. Most diagonsitic testing doesn't fall into this category.

[bestmickey]

While I haven't made any notations re: costs (thanks for this tip, I now will), I have frequently made changes in the "standard language" clauses in medical paperwork. I always note "do not agree" and initial any sections that indicate agreement to participate in research protocols. While I agree that medical research is a necessity, I personally have a problem agreeing to it. I had the misfortune of working with physicians and doctoral level scientists while employed, and I didn't respect a fair number of them. Too many were lacking in ethics, something one can only learn by working with them. Also, our local Veterans' Hospital was cited and investigated due to their lack of ethics. The staff used patients in research protocols, giving them investigational treatments, withOUT the knowledge and approval of the patient and/or family. I urge veterans in particular to be cautious re: research protocols. Just know what you're giving your approval to by reading the paperwork and getting clarification from the physician (not the office clerk) before you sign the document.

I've noted disagreement to other verbiage as well. It's important to note, because most people don't realize that you can make these changes. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!