5 reasons behind soaring health costs | Arthritis Information

 

Plus the top 5 ways you can lower your out-of-pocket payments

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32029403/ns/health-health_care/ Lynn492009-08-13 06:42:51Unfortunately, as sue happy as the public is these days, the dr must order every test under the sun to rule out anything it can possibly be  I wouldn't want to be a dr these days. Right now I am in the process of negotiating a reduction of the total amount of out-of-pocket expenses for a recent hospitalization and surgical procedure. I was flabbergasted when I received the invoice for services.

If my efforts fail, I will be hiring an advocate: in fact I have already spoken with one.

My reasoning centers on the HUGE reductions made to and for the insurance companies. It seems, at least from where I sit, if companies can negotiate successfully then so can I.
Shug, you're so right about negotiating for medical charges.  If the hospital contracts and accepts from the insurance company 0.00 for a chest xray then you shouldn't have to pay 0.00  full cost for that same service.  Especially since you already have insurance coverage and it's not covering in full or isn't covering certain services.  You should be charged the contracted rate for those services.  This is the main reason people are in bankrupties now - medical bills.  If I were the hospital I'd rather have the contracted rate than nothing at all because people have declared bankruptcy due to their medical bills.  LinB2009-08-13 09:42:32 [QUOTE=LinB] If I were the hospital I'd rather have the contracted rate than nothing at all because people have declared bankruptcy due to their medical bills. 
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com