Woman Hounded for $5 Co-pay...while suffering a heart attack!

[abidinginvine]

People really are growing more and more cold-hearted. There's this story, and also today I was in traffic court - a man was telling the judge that he was stopped for speeding by a police officer, told the officer that he was driving a pregnant woman who was in labor with twins to the hospital and asked for an escort. The officer refused to even look in the pickup to confirm that the story was true, much less escort the poor woman to the hospital. Instead, he kept the man standing outside his truck, and took his time writing a traffic ticket!


http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/02/03/2008-02-03_si_heart_attack_patient_hounded_for_5_in-2.html

[Southern Lady]

The officer should have checked to to see if the story was true; though he may have heard a few false stories too many. However, many agencies have polices against escorting anyone to the hospital. Had the man be in an accident while on the way the law enforcement agency most likely would have been held liable.
The officer should have called for an ambulance, or followed the man to make sure they arrived at the hospital. Of course this depends on the agency's policy.
As far as going after the $5.00 Co-pay, she could have been billed later.

[Rebecki]

This infuriates me. If she had a co-pay then obviously she had insurance, so obviously they'd get paid, and with a heart attack obviously she would be in the hospital for a while so they could catch up with her in a day or so. But if this were an illegal invader at the hospital with no insurance, boy they'd get preferential treatment!

:tsk

[Kelly4C]

As far as going after the $5.00 Co-pay, she could have been billed later.


Ya think? :doh

5 bucks. Amazing that a DOCTOR would be worried about such a small amount of money. Then again it could have just been a lousy receptionist but I know from experience that they tend to do the doctor's bidding. Mine houded me for a $10 balance once when I showed up for an appointment and said it would have to be paid before I could be seen. :rolleyes :twitch

[Born Again 2006]

Talk about "cold hearted" people; my girlfriend dumped me even though I treated her like a queen. I recently got a speeding ticket on my way to a job interview. I told the cop that I was "out of work" for 4 months and he did not acknowledge anything but provided me with a ticket costing me $154.00 and 4 points on my drivers license. Signs of the times. Come Lord Jesus come!!!

[SummerSailing81]

This doesn't surprise me in the least. We have Kaiser Permanente and use their doctors. It used to be you didn't pay your bill until you were on your way out. Not anymore! You don't get past the sign-in desk until you make that co-payment. It's absolutely ridiculous!

[Chula]

Talk about "cold hearted" people; my girlfriend dumped me even though I treated her like a queen. I recently got a speeding ticket on my way to a job interview. I told the cop that I was "out of work" for 4 months and he did not acknowledge anything but provided me with a ticket costing me $154.00 and 4 points on my drivers license. Signs of the times. Come Lord Jesus come!!!


Most won't get your humor but I do !


Hospitals have every right to get your copayment but if you're having a hear attack, I think most would wait and bill you for it later.

The Doctors aren't the ones who are "after" the money.
It's the administration of the hosptals or medical facilities.
The Doctors are basicly employed by the facility.

[Kelly4C]

Most won't get your humor but I do !


Hospitals have every right to get your copayment but if you're having a hear attack, I think most would wait and bill you for it later.

The Doctors aren't the ones who are "after" the money.
It's the administration of the hosptals or medical facilities.
The Doctors are basicly employed by the facility.


My Pulmonary specialist told me that he used to be part of my Primary care physicians office but that he had to leave cuz he didn't like the way the head physician over there ran the place. When I told him about a couple of issues, one being that they won't even let you carry a $10 balance for a day he said yes that is one of the things he didn't agree with. I think it's safe to say that in my case, the doctor IS the administration.

Btw I do pay every single co-pay before I see the doctor, have never missed. This $10 balance was for an ear cleaning that my daughter had in office when my husband brought her a month before.

[moosejive]

Gotta remember the bottom line here....profit!:doh :faint

[lisaann]

Last year I went in for surgery that they thought might be breast cancer. While I was filling out all of my forms they slipped in a bill for something that they had never billed me for from 6 years earlier! :faint I don't even remember signing it, my mind was on the upcoming surgery and weather I had a life threatening illness or not! A week or so later when I was up and around again I was looking through my hospital papers and found it. :rant I called my insurance company and they said they did that because they cannot legally bill me for it because the statute of limitations had already run up on it.

I think that's a dirty trick to slip something in like that on a person who is going in for surgery. :tsk Especially when it was their own screw up.