so confussed

I called the insurance company this am. What they said
is That I do not have a Co-Pay. I have a deductable but that is charged after surgery.
When the Hospital called they used the word co-insurance. When I asked the insurance company they said I don't have that.
so now I guess Monday I will call the hospital and get this figured out.
Thank you all for all the good Ideas. More than one brain can work better than one.
Terri

Sounds like maybe your doctor's office has your file mixed up with someone else's -- maybe??
Seems to me, if you did have a co-payment, you would have been advised of it long before now....something smells fishy.
It's really so sad that your life has now been put on hold for over a month.  Just doesn't seem fair.  I feel your frustration and truly do wish the best for you.

Maybe you can get your old appointment back because of their error!  Give it a try.
Jan

Thank You Jan but surgery was monday at 9am so not sure if I can get it back.
I am going to call before work on monday though.
Terri

It sure sounds like the hospital is confused!  Co-insurance usually means there's another insurance company involved--like when my first DH and I had two different health insurance coverages.  Then everyone always had to figure out what was primary and what was secondary, always a big pain in the patootie.  But a deductible is totally different from co-insurance.  Hope it all gets straightened out!

Terri....sounds like they have you and someone else mixed up....yes....please do get all the corret info before you have the surgery....you don't want any big surpises after it is all done!!!

Good Luck....keep us posted !!

Hugs....connie d

I am calling tomorrow am before work.
Terri

  I think I had the same thing happen.  2 days before the surgery the hospital called and said - your insurance indicates you will owe $400 how will you like to pay for that.  I didn't think about - put it on my card and got ready for the surgery.  

Now - I did insurance billing for 7 years - I should have known better.

The next month after surgery I get the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from insurance.  And guess what - patient responsibility = $0.  Hmm - So I call the hospital and left a message that per my insurance nothing was owed and that they owed me a refund.

I called the insurance to confirm and the insurance said - no matter what they billed in - even if the took off the $400 I paid - the balance would be the same.  $0

So - the hospital is getting theirs first.  They are checking with your insurance BEFORE they do the billing and getting their share upfront PLUS whatever the insurance pays out.  It's backwards billing.  BTW - the insurance paid 20% of the total bill and the balance was written off.  

I will be making more calls on Monday.  Like I don't need $400 in my pocket with my DH unemployed.  

Oh - document your calls - take names and reference numbers.  Get copies of all billings - this is your insurance - you pay them to work for you.  If the insurance suspects the hospital is not billing properly they will be at risk of being dropped by the insurance company for bad billing practices.

Mary - Vashon

The hospital bills me  monthly for my co-pay.  They put me on a payment plan....I actually make a payment each week.  I think my balance now is around $800 and I'm all caught up. 

Debbie