Holy Moly

I better get a good paying job when I can, I just got the bill in the mail for the second surgery stay at the hospital.....are ya'll sitting down?
$77,044.00  and that's just the hospital part of it, not even the Dr's part for doing the surgery.  The first one from the hospital was $45,000.00.  I know that we owe at least 10% of all of this and I have NO idea how we are going to pay it.  It's going to take forever.  We have some money issues right now already and this will just add to it.

I will be contacting the hospital for a payment plan once the insurance has paid all they will.  I do have to call them though,they are saying that the daily bloodwork I had isn't covered and that's about $125 a day. 
Oh well, as long as this will be worth it in the long run, I guess we'll figure it out somehow.

Wait until the insurance sends the EOBs and see what they have negotiated the bills down to. You many times can see that info on line if you have BCBS even before you get the paper copy. Have whoever is the HR or insurance administrator for your policy go to bat on that bloodwork. If the doctor ordered it it should be covered, he had a reason for it. Chris ps - even though your job ended just before your first surgery I cannot help but point to the fact that there is a God and He knew what was to come. He did not want you to go through a bad thing and you may not exactly know why it all happened but you I will guarantee will be a much better person from it. I have always learned from adversity in my life.

I have a huge stack of EOB's already and I just need to sit and sort them with the bills.  I used to work for a Dr and did the insurance stuff, so I know how to deal with them...lol

As for the job thing, you are SO right Chris.  God knew what was happening and I always tell everyone that it was a blessing in diguise when I lost my job beforehand.  now I am concentrate on getting better and taking my time without worrying about getting back to work and stuff.  Thanks so much!!

Alexian billed 49,116.50 for my wls.  BC/BS only paid 12,926.82   Dr Rantis billed 16,000.  He only got paid 3,000.00 Unfortunatly the bills have just begun.  You will get Dr Harts office.  They charge around 110.00 for everyday they visited you in the hospital, plus any other specialist that came.   Respiratory, Pathology, labratory, GI lab, GI dr to read the labs.  Mine added up to 66, ???.00  I did the oh survey and they said that I had to be wrong because that seemed too high.  There is a huge difference between what they bill and what they get paid.  Just talk to them all, they will work with you.   ~Michelle

Agree with Chris.  Wait until you get your Explaination of Benefits from your insurance provider.  Most plans have what they call an Out of Pocket Maximum.  That means what you have to pay won't go above that  amount. On the plan I had when i had surgery it was $2,000.  I bet you have something similar. If you have a Summary of Benefits it would state the amount there. Usually after deductible they talk about out of pocket maximums. So take a deep beath.  It probablly won't be as bad as you think.

Monica, I understand the "sticker" shock when you first get the bills. Last year, between the heart surgery and the Lap Band, we would of been bankrupted. The total of everything was close to $600,000.00. We payed out about $3000.  That was the maximum out of pocket expense  for the BSBC we have. And yes, they will pay for bloodwork, you may have to appeal, but they will pay.