How to properly dispute Emergency Room bill

[lya]

If it had turned out that the tests in the ED showed an emergency situation, the OP would not be contesting the bill and he would be thankful for having been sent to an acute care facility where emergency treatment is available.

It boils down to changing his mind once he found out his daughter was OK.

That's not the way healthcare payments work. You pay regardless of the outcome of tests.

[longsally111]

so right lya, but isnt this op like so many others who feel that once everythign is ok, they dont have to pay? next time they go to the ER, they should have the er say " well, last time you felt it wasnt an emergency and refused to pay to pay up first". Could you imagine the reaction that would get? The op's daughter was treated in good faith. OP, you signed your child into the er which included a consent for treatment. Not only can it be considered fraud, it will go on your credit and they can take you to court. make payment arrangements like everyone else.

[VeronicaLodge]

Originally Posted by AnthonyJ

My arguement is that the urologist told us that this was an emergency when it very obviously was not. He did not leave any instructions with the ER and nothing was done that could not have been done via a normal doctor visit. Why did he direct us to go to the ER instead of telling us to go to her pediatrician?

thus your beef is with your urologist not the ER, give him the bill

[Zigner]

Originally Posted by VeronicaLodge

thus your beef is with your urologist not the ER, give him the bill

I suggest our OP pay the bill and seek RE-payment from the urologist. This will avoid the inevitable credit ding. The urologist is under no legal (or moral, for that matter) obligation to pay the ER bill, but the OP might get some sort of "courtesy" partial payment.

[AnthonyJ]

I appreciate everyone's time in responding to my question. My wife and I have decided to call the urologist and talk to him about this before doing anything else. We will ask him to explain his reasons for sending us through the ER rather than advising us to take her to her pediatrition for blood and urine tests. We will ask him if he realizes that those tests could have been performed *more quickly* and far less costly by the pediatrition. If they showed a problem we certainly would have gone to the ER from there.

If he refuses to pay for or help pay for the ER visit than we will again "do the right thing" and pay the ER bill. I am getting tired of doing the right thing even when I am getting screwed. They will get $10 monthly or what ever the lowest possible payment can be.

This is NOT a matter of not wanting to pay because the tests showed no problem. We were told that this was an emergency and that she probably needed an MRI or CAT scan or "some other" tests. We even questioned the advice his office gave in this case because it did not seem right. She felt fine and was getting ready to go to a swim party. Had the urologist office told us *before we went to the ER* that they were just going to do simple lab tests we would have refused and taken her to her pediatrition for those tests. He simply did not want to deal with it because he was leaving for vacation. This was flippant, irresponsible advice. This is an example of medical waste at its finest - on my dime.

I state again that we have paid the ER doctor and will pay for the lab tests. I have no problem paying for the service that was necessary and given. I am only disputing the ER charges. I guess I am lucky that he did not tell us to fly across the country and go to the ER in some other city. My general opinion of doctors has dropped to an all time low. Leason learned. I will trust my own judgement above theirs from this time forward.

[Zigner]

Originally Posted by AnthonyJ

I appreciate everyone's time in responding to my question. My wife and I have decided to call the urologist and talk to him about this before doing anything else. We will ask him to explain his reasons for sending us through the ER rather than advising us to take her to her pediatrition for blood and urine tests. We will ask him if he realizes that those tests could have been performed *more quickly* and far less costly by the pediatrition. If they showed a problem we certainly would have gone to the ER from there.

If he refuses to pay for or help pay for the ER visit than we will again "do the right thing" and pay the ER bill. I am getting tired of doing the right thing even when I am getting screwed. They will get $10 monthly or what ever the lowest possible payment can be.

This is NOT a matter of not wanting to pay because the tests showed no problem. We were told that this was an emergency and that she probably needed an MRI or CAT scan or "some other" tests. We even questioned the advice his office gave in this case because it did not seem right. She felt fine and was getting ready to go to a swim party. Had the urologist office told us *before we went to the ER* that they were just going to do simple lab tests we would have refused and taken her to her pediatrition for those tests. He simply did not want to deal with it because he was leaving for vacation. This was flippant, irresponsible advice. This is an example of medical waste at its finest - on my dime.

I state again that we have paid the ER doctor and will pay for the lab tests. I have no problem paying for the service that was necessary and given. I am only disputing the ER charges. I guess I am lucky that he did not tell us to fly across the country and go to the ER in some other city.

If you play this game, you can expect to be turned over to collections, and quite possibly sued for the amount due, plus legal costs.

[lealea1005]

Originally Posted by Zigner

I suggest our OP pay the bill and seek RE-payment from the urologist. This will avoid the inevitable credit ding. The urologist is under no legal (or moral, for that matter) obligation to pay the ER bill, but the OP might get some sort of "courtesy" partial payment.

Unless I've read it wrong, the Urologist's decision was based upon the results of the ultrasound which showed what could have been a very serious abnormality in a 9 year old. Based upon that info, referral to the ER for further evaluation and treatment was appropriate.

It wasn't until the film was looked at a second time that the interpretation was changed.

[lealea1005]

Our daughter has a history of kidney and bladder issues for which she has been treated by Dr. (urologist). On June 2, 2009 she had abdominal pain and blood in her urine. We took her to her pediatrician, Dr. (pediatrician), and he ran a urine test. He scheduled a renal ultrasound to be performed at (hospital) on June 18, 2009 as that was the first available appointment. By June 18, 2009 she no longer had pain or any blood in her urine. She was feeling fine, but we decided it was best to have the scheduled ultrasound performed anyway. The day after the test we called Dr. (urologist) office for the test results and spoke with his receptionist. The receptionist told us that the ultrasound results were abnormal and that she would contact Dr. (urologist) immediately as he was leaving for a vacation. She called back and told us that Dr. (urologist) was concerned with the results. She told us that he wanted our daughter to be seen immediately by the resident urologist at (hospital). She said that we should take her through the ER.....

...

I will say it one more time...you have a 9 year old with a history of previous kidney issues. From your experience with your daughter, I'm sure you realize that symptoms can subside with treatment, but there is always the chance that the infection has not resolved completely. Hence the reason Docs are insistent upon follow up to retest the urine or, in severe or chronic cases, a follow up US. With the information in hand at the time (ultrasound report), he APPROPRIATELY referred you to the ER for further evaluation.

[Zigner]

Originally Posted by lealea1005

Unless I've read it wrong, the Urologist's decision was based upon the results of the ultrasound which showed what could have been a very serious abnormality in a 9 year old. Based upon that info, referral to the ER for further evaluation and treatment was appropriate.

It wasn't until the film was looked at a second time that the interpretation was changed.

I don't disagree with you. In fact, I did point out that the Urologist is under no obligation to pay anything for this

[lealea1005]

Originally Posted by Zigner

I don't disagree with you. In fact, I did point out that the Urologist is under no obligation to pay anything for this

Yep, I did see that Zig. Sooooooooooo.....do YOU have a favorite in the series? *flutters eyelashes* lol

[Zigner]

Originally Posted by lealea1005

Yep, I did see that Zig. Sooooooooooo.....do YOU have a favorite in the series? *flutters eyelashes* lol

Go Angels!

(Yeah, I haven't been watching the WS much)

[lealea1005]

Originally Posted by Zigner

Go Angels!

(Yeah, I haven't been watching the WS much)

Guess that was the smart answer...lol.