Urgent Care is Cash Only, no Insurance

[somarco]

Frankie Cook remembers last year’s car crash only in flashes.


She tried to slow down but lost control of her car on a big curve. “The car flipped about three times,” Frankie said. “We spun around and went off the side of this hill. My car was on its side, and the back end was crushed up into a tree.”


Frankie said the air bags deployed and both passengers were wearing seat belts, so she was left with just a headache when her father, Russell Cook, came to pick her up from the crash site.


Urgent care refused to examine her. Cash only, insurance not accepted.


Hospitals are not allowed to refuse emergency care, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. The ER doc examined her then sent her home and advised her to take Tylenol.


Then the bill came . . .



https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/urgent-care-emergency-room-car-wreck-bill/

 

[Medigap Bill]

I am not on Medicare. However, my insurance pays for Urgent Care. In my case, a $40 copay. The Urgent Care runs like a business with a customer focused mentality. They are quick, professional and are focused on results. I have preferred this route whenever possible for several years now.

 

[straightnochaser]

I am not on Medicare. However, my insurance pays for Urgent Care. In my case, a $40 copay. The Urgent Care runs like a business with a customer focused mentality. They are quick, professional and are focused on results. I have preferred this route whenever possible for several years now.

Yea, I don't get the point of this post. This particular urgent care doesn't take insurance? Ok, go to one that does. Pretty simple.

 

[adjusterjack]

The health care industry is all about the money.

 

[T Sparks]

She tried to slow down but lost control of her car on a big curve. “The car flipped about three times,” Frankie said. “We spun around and went off the side of this hill. My car was on its side, and the back end was crushed up into a tree.”

Was Frankie drunk?

 

[Medigap Bill]

I think the point ended up being...Emergency Rooms have to accept a person with or without insurance. Then they send the big bill and send to collections etc to get folks to pay. Leaving them with lots of medical debt.

 

[fed up]

Does not say what the deductible is on their insurance (medical) policy and why would any question arise as to how and when auto insurance would pay? Is this a PIP state?

 

[ValeRosso]

"After insurance covered its share, the Cooks’ portion came to $1,042."

Not so bad for an ER visit and CT scans.

 

[straightnochaser]

I think the point ended up being...Emergency Rooms have to accept a person with or without insurance. Then they send the big bill and send to collections etc to get folks to pay. Leaving them with lots of medical debt.

Seems like the point of the article was specific to how the urgent care centers want to treat victims of a car accident when a settlement is being used to pay for health care.

So yea, not sure how this relates to senior health insurance.

 

[Truce]

His teenage daughter got in a car accident and rolled three times.

The quote from dad is "sure would be nice to get this taken care of with a $200 urgent care visit".

Yeah, dad, it would be nice. Well, that urgent care DID NOT have CT capability. The hospital down the street did. Seems like he got a prompt CT scan on her head and body. So far, this story is proof of the very advanced and broadly available trauma care in the American medical system.

Now comes the billing part. Yes, urgent care just wants the easy claims/payment and I'm glad they exist as a substitute for the ER for many conditions. Yes, hospitals have to price gouge commercially insured members to make up for loses on uninsured patients and medicaid members, and just breaking even on Medicare members. Yes, hospitals get greedy when they can bill auto insurers who don't have the same contracted rates. Yes, this cross subsidization of ER bills is a national embarrassment. Yes, hospitals make crazy billing mistakes that are never in the patients favor, and probably cause more harm from stress than the initial ER visit. The letter from the collections law firm is rich, considering it missed a blatant double charge for comical $5200 level 4(!!) visit.

I've been on the receiving of about ten of these ER for my family of 6, including one $3000 ER visit with a $4000 bill from the paramedic that followed the ambulance from my house PLUS $1400 from the ambulance (which is covered by my county usually.....but not between 12AM and 6AM, which was when my toddler decided to have a febrile seizure). Then the ambulance decided they didn't take any insurance (I had a high deductible big name commercial PPO at the time) and my insurer applied what they thought would be fair to my deductible...and then I was balance billed by the ambulance co the difference, and it did not apply to my out of pocket max. Fun stuff! Rant over.

The guy in the article ended up paying $1000 for very good, very fast, advanced care for his daughter and feels like it should have cost $200. I just don't think he is the right martyr for a story about the very real perils of the American medical insurance and medical provider racket.