My wife was recently referred to a specialist at Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, NJ. Thankfully the provider was in our insurance network (Horizon BCBS), and so all we had to pay was the co-pay at the time of service. Simple, right?
Nope. Six weeks later we received a bill from Atlantic Health System, who owns MMC, for money they claim we still owe them AFTER my insurance company had paid them (under their contract, Horizon limits how much MMC can bill an in-network patient). I immediately reported the bill to Horizon, who informed me that this practice, called "balance billing", is not only a violation of their contract, but also illegal in the state of New Jersey.
Horizon is currently settling the matter with MMC on our behalf, but I just wanted to give everyone a heads up on this matter. Know your rights as a patient and an insurance subscriber. If MMC, or any other healthcare provider, tries to directly bill you beyond the required co-pay, report it to your insurance company immediately. Do not be conned or threatened into paying medical bills that you are not legally responsible for.
Throwaway account and nebulous language because I am still working there and don't want to suffer from retaliation. Putting in my two weeks soon.
I'll admit that right now I'm so mad. Just had to go begging family for money. I'm not a nurse or a physician so my position is not glorious and heroic but I work hard and care about patients. For what? Poverty wages, that's what! I am very frugal, yet the numbers just don't work. I am hardly alone and just wonder how in this area with a lack of workers and affordable housing how long it's sustainable to just have people leaving the hospital due to lack of a respectable pay. I can make more working fast food or retail! And, you know, that's exactly what I am about to do. At least then I may be able to have a dinner other than rice, discount meat, and beans thrown into a crockpot, eaten as I worry if I am going to have to once again beg family for funds to fill my gas tank.
To the people running the show there, how can you be so greedy to force people out of working healthcare who really want to work, but cant due to simply not being able to live! You can pay people a respectable wage but just don't. I could never be so greedy because even if one of you suits came to me struggling and asked for a pot of my crockpot medieval peasant dinner that I struggled to buy, I'd still give you some. That moment when I see my flaws and realize that with all of them at least I am not as bad as you. Fatcat parasites.
Talking with a friend who works at Grandview Medical, and currently has COVID. They were told to report back to work and "Just keep it to yourself". They have reported it but it seems nobody has reached back out to say anything about it. Just thought you guys might want to know what's going on over there and to be careful!
BREAKING: Woman Shot and Killed In Parking Garage
Sacramento Police are on scene of a shooting incident on the 3rd floor of the parking garage at 2801 K St.
A female was shot by a male suspect, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The suspect is away on foot and has not been located yet.
Police are stopping every vehicle that leaves the garage and conducting interviews and trying to find witnesses.
https://www.kcra.com/article/woman-shot-killed-midtown-sacramento-parking-garage/38679912
My wife is at Parkwest ER and has been since about 9pm. It’s now past 5am. She saw triage nurse but otherwise hasn’t seen anyone else. She’s there for severe pain for umbilical hernia that we already know she has. She’s also 10 weeks pregnant.
This whole thing is just absurd.
I was curious if anyone had any experience dealing with them on this issue. We have a $250 copay for the ER, but I was curious if the hospital would try to charge us if she decides to come home, get some sleep, and go to urgent care later.
Edit: thanks to all who offered support and/or advice. Y’all are real ones!
