More and more people are becoming the victims of excessive emergency room bills…often to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars. Most people are unaware that an ER visit often will include separate fees from the hospital and the doctors who care for the patients while they are in the ER. Aside from the ER doctor, radiologists, pathologists and others who never meet the patient face to face but who care for the patient also will bill for their services. And to make matters worse, many times those doctors are out-of-network even when the hospital is in network. Additionally, if the hospital is a trauma center, it can charge fees above the standard facility and provider fees to help underwrite the costs they incur for staffing a trauma center.
Sounds complicated? It is.  And complication often translates into expense for the unsuspecting patient.
Recently, we worked on a case of excessive billing from Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFGH), a level one trauma center. The details of this case were showcased in an article by Sarah Kliff from Vox Media and Jenny Gold from Kaiser Health News. As a result of our work and the visibility created by Sarah’s article, we were able to have the excessive $15,666 fee written off.
Among the thousands of ER bills that Sarah has reviewed as a part of her year-long effort to uncover inequities in ER billing, a number have concerned ZSFGH. In her January 7 article, she highlighted a few more cases, one for which Sarah requested our review and opinion. Robert Berman is quoted in this article.
To help protect yourself from incurring unexpected ER bills, do the following:
- If you require emergency services that aren’t life-threatening, visit an in-network Urgent Care center first. In advance of an emergency, locate Urgent Care centers near your home and office and confirm with your health insurance company which ones are in network. This way if an emergency does occur, you will know exactly where to go for care.
- If you must seek care at an ER, use one that is in network. As with Urgent Care centers, research the network status now before you are in need.
- Ambulance transportation is often out-of-network or only covered if you are admitted to the hospital. If you can avoid using an ambulance to reach the ER, you could save yourself from a large ambulance bill (as well as a trauma activation fee if you call 911 and are transported to a trauma center). However if you are in a life-threatening situation, get to the hospital as quickly as possible using the best means of transportation, which could be an ambulance.
- Once you receive the bills for your care, be sure to request detailed itemized bills from the facility and all providers. Review every line item, compare it to the explanation of benefits from your insurance company and if you have any questions, you must address them immediately with the billing department. Errors are common. You want to be sure you pay for an accurate bill.
- If you find the process too complicated or overwhelming, contact a medical claims advocate for assistance.
Super-Duper site! I am loving it!! Will be back later to read some more. I am bookmarking your feeds also
Hi, very nice website, cheers!
——————————————————
Need cheap and reliable hosting? Our shared plans start at $10 for an year and VPS plans for $6/Mo.
——————————————————
Check here: https://www.reliable-webhosting.com/
It’s truly a nice and helpful piece of information. I’m happy that you simply shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
This is, of course, a bad way to run a health care system. About one in five emergency room visits result in a surprise bill. So it seems reasonable to assume that there are a whole lot more patients struggling with medical bills than there are health care reporters writing on the topic.
Hi are using WordPress for your site platform? I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying to get started and set up my own. Do you require any coding expertise to make your own blog? Any help would be really appreciated!
I dugg some of you post as I thought they were very helpful handy
I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post…
Hello, Neat post. There is a problem along with your website in web explorer, might check this… IE nonetheless is the market leader and a large part of other people will pass over your great writing due to this problem.
You actually make it seem really easy together with your presentation but I find this matter to be really something that I feel I would never understand. It sort of feels too complex and very vast for me. I am taking a look forward for your subsequent publish, I will try to get the grasp of it!
Wonderful website. Lots of useful information here. I am sending it to a few pals ans also sharing in delicious. And certainly, thank you on your effort!
very nice post, i actually love this web site, keep on it
There is noticeably a bundle to know about this. I assume you made certain nice points in features also.
You made some nice points there. I looked on the internet for the issue and found most persons will go along with with your website.
I genuinely appreciate your work, Great post.
I wanted to compose you a tiny note just to give many thanks over again for your superb basics you have provided in this case. It is so seriously generous of you in giving extensively just what numerous people could have offered for sale for an electronic book to help make some profit for their own end, mostly seeing that you could have tried it if you ever wanted. These pointers additionally served as a great way to be certain that many people have the identical dream much like my very own to realize much more with respect to this issue. I’m certain there are lots of more fun instances in the future for folks who read carefully your site.
I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post…
Good info. Lucky me I reach on your website by accident, I bookmarked it.
I will immediately grasp your rss as I can not find your e-mail subscription link or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please let me realize so that I may just subscribe. Thanks.
Well I definitely enjoyed studying it. This post procured by you is very useful for correct planning.
Pretty part of content. I simply stumbled upon your site and in accession capital to say that I get actually enjoyed account your blog posts. Anyway I will be subscribing for your feeds or even I achievement you get entry to constantly rapidly.
Absolutely composed articles, appreciate it for entropy. “Necessity is the mother of taking chances.” by Mark Twain.
Great post. I was checking continuously this blog and I’m impressed! Very useful information specially the last part 🙂 I care for such information much. I was looking for this particular information for a very long time. Thank you and best of luck.
Some truly interesting information, well written and loosely user pleasant.
Really clear web site, thankyou for this post.
Some truly nice and useful info on this website, also I think the design holds fantastic features.
You are a very bright individual!
I am impressed with this site, very I am a fan.
I am now not positive where you are getting your information, however good topic. I needs to spend some time finding out more or figuring out more. Thanks for magnificent info I used to be in search of this info for my mission.
I always was interested in this topic and still am, regards for posting.
Your style is so unique compared to many other people. Thank you for publishing when you have the opportunity,Guess I will just make this bookmarked.2
Thank you for some other informative web site. The place else may I am getting that kind of info written in such an ideal approach? I’ve a venture that I’m simply now operating on, and I’ve been on the look out for such information.
Heya just wanted to give you a brief heads up and let you know a few of the images aren’t loading correctly. I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue. I’ve tried it in two different internet browsers and both show the same outcome.
Very interesting info !Perfect just what I was searching for! “I myself do nothing. The Holy Spirit accomplishes all through me.” by William Blake.
Fantastic goods from you, man. I have take note your stuff prior to and you are simply extremely great. I really like what you’ve received here, really like what you are stating and the best way in which you assert it. You are making it enjoyable and you continue to care for to stay it wise. I cant wait to read far more from you. That is really a tremendous website.
What i do not understood is in truth how you are not really much more well-appreciated than you may be now. You are very intelligent. You know thus significantly when it comes to this subject, made me in my opinion believe it from so many various angles. Its like women and men don’t seem to be involved until it is something to do with Lady gaga! Your personal stuffs great. Always take care of it up!
I haven?¦t checked in here for some time because I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are good quality so I guess I will add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
I regard something truly special in this website.
Great site. Plenty of useful info here. I am sending it to several buddies ans also sharing in delicious. And of course, thanks on your sweat!
I like this web blog very much, Its a very nice place to read and receive information.
Fantastic website. A lot of useful information here. I’m sending it to some buddies ans additionally sharing in delicious. And certainly, thanks on your effort!
What i don’t realize is actually how you are not really much more well-liked than you may be now. You’re very intelligent. You realize thus considerably relating to this subject, made me personally consider it from so many varied angles. Its like men and women aren’t fascinated unless it’s one thing to accomplish with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs nice. Always maintain it up!
I have recently started a site, the info you offer on this site has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work. “Cultivation to the mind is as necessary as food to the body.” by Marcus Tullius Cicero.
Thanks for your marvelous posting! I truly enjoyed reading it, you’re a great author.I will be sure to bookmark your blog and may come back later on. I want to encourage yourself to continue your great job, have a nice weekend!
Sweet internet site, super design, rattling clean and utilise pleasant.
I haven’t checked in here for some time since I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are good quality so I guess I will add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
Some genuinely interesting information, well written and generally user pleasant.
Wonderful work! This is the type of info that should be shared around the web. Shame on the search engines for not positioning this post higher! Come on over and visit my website . Thanks =)
Great line up. We will be linking to this great article on our site. Keep up the good writing.
obviously like your web site but you need to take a look at the spelling on quite a few of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling issues and I in finding it very bothersome to tell the truth nevertheless I will surely come again again.
Absolutely pent content, regards for information .
Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant believe youre not more popular because you definitely have the gift.
Hi! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new iphone 3gs! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the fantastic work!
Fantastic beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your site, how could i subscribe for a blog site? The account helped me a acceptable deal. I have been tiny bit familiar of this your broadcast offered shiny clear idea
hi!,I like your writing very much! share we communicate more about your post on AOL? I require a specialist on this area to solve my problem. Maybe that’s you! Looking forward to see you.
Hi! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I really enjoy reading your blog posts. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with the same topics? Appreciate it!
I think you have observed some very interesting points, regards for the post.
This really answered my problem, thank you!
You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be actually something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and very broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!
My wife and i have been thankful Louis managed to finish off his reports with the ideas he got out of the site. It is now and again perplexing just to happen to be giving out tips and hints that many most people could have been making money from. We realize we’ve got the writer to appreciate because of that. The main illustrations you made, the straightforward blog navigation, the relationships you can aid to engender – it is all extraordinary, and it’s assisting our son and the family consider that the subject is satisfying, and that’s very vital. Many thanks for everything!
Enjoyed looking through this, very good stuff, regards. “All things are difficult before they are easy.” by John Norley.
Just what I was searching for, appreciate it for posting.
After study a few of the blog posts on your website now, and I truly like your way of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back soon. Pls check out my web site as well and let me know what you think.
hello!,I like your writing very much! proportion we keep up a correspondence extra approximately your article on AOL? I need an expert on this area to unravel my problem. Maybe that’s you! Taking a look forward to peer you.
I have been exploring for a little bit for any high quality articles or weblog posts in this sort of house . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this site. Reading this information So i?¦m happy to express that I have a very just right uncanny feeling I came upon just what I needed. I such a lot for sure will make sure to don?¦t overlook this website and give it a glance on a relentless basis.
When I originally commented I clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Thanks!
Hi, Neat post. There’s a problem with your web site in internet explorer, would check this… IE still is the market leader and a huge portion of people will miss your magnificent writing due to this problem.