Car Accident - Kaiser recover money from our settlement?

California -

My wife was in a bad car accident while she was covered under Kaiser. Luckily there were no serious injuries, but the guy who hit her's insurance company settled with us for $6000 - is that a good settelment for no injuries? Her car was totaled however by a semi.

Anyway, she was covered by Kaiser where she got the ambulance and emergency room checkup since she was 12 weeks pregnant at the time.

Now a year later we're getting a bill from Kaiser for $3000, they want 1/2 our settlement to 'recover their losses.' Is this normal and lawful?

Thanks!
-Matt

Matt916 said:

California -

My wife was in a bad car accident while she was covered under Kaiser. Luckily there were no serious injuries, but the guy who hit her's insurance company settled with us for $6000 - is that a good settelment for no injuries? Her car was totaled however by a semi.

Anyway, she was covered by Kaiser where she got the ambulance and emergency room checkup since she was 12 weeks pregnant at the time.

Now a year later we're getting a bill from Kaiser for $3000, they want 1/2 our settlement to 'recover their losses.' Is this normal and lawful?

Thanks!
-Matt

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My response:

Yes. It's called "Reimbursable Medicals". It's in your contract with Kaiser; i.e., when you're involved in a Third Party claim, Kaiser (like many insurance companies) are entitled to be reimbursed out of the common fund settlement.

Now, call Kaiser and ask for Marilyn Seifert (SeeFurt). She is the Third Party settlement analyst for Kaiser. Ask her for a negotiated reduction. She's fairly easy to work with and there's every possibility that she'll cut the amount owed by a substantial amount.

IAAL

Thanks!

Thanks for the info! Kaiser has so many numbers and departments they transfer me all around, do you happen to know the # for her dept? And would it matter that my bill is now coming from "Healthcare Recoveries" in Kentucky, who is representing Kaiser?

Thanks!

You had no serious injuries, but you took six grand of policyholder's money anyway even though your treatment was being covered by Kaiser?

I hope you don't bitch too much when you pay your auto insurance premiums, because crap like that is what makes them higher than they have to be.

Excuse me..

You shouldn't open your mouth without knowing the facts:

-A SEMI BIG RIG crossed the median divider and came into oncoming traffic on the other side of the freeway
-My wife's car was TOTALED, if nothing else they owed us a new car
-My wife was 3 months pregnant and in bed for 2 days -- do you know what kind of stress this put on our family?
-We were out of a car, students working part-time, school full-time, no cash.
-We had to take out a loan to RENT A CAR to get us by for the next week

After all was said and done, my wife had no lasting injuries, and our baby was healthy.. But you're full of **** to tell me we didn't deserve at least $6000.. I know of fender benders that went for $50,000..

Boo hoo. You didn't hit the $50,000 fender bender jackpot and your wreck was even more badder than that. I am verklempt.

joeyblow said:

Boo hoo. You didn't hit the $50,000 fender bender jackpot and your wreck was even more badder than that. I am verklempt.

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Joey, I would STRONGLY suggest you remove your posts and think about how much you want to continue posting here.

Joey, I would STRONGLY suggest you remove your posts and think about how much you want to continue posting here

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Suggest away, but try not to strain yourself, BelizeBreeze since I will remove nothing.

I am sick and tired of people using our screwed up legal system as their personal lottery. I will express that opinion as I see fit.

joeyblow said:

Suggest away, but try not to strain yourself, BelizeBreeze since I will remove nothing.

I am sick and tired of people using our screwed up legal system as their personal lottery. I will express that opinion as I see fit.

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Then start the countdown. You will soon be gone.

Whatsa madda? You a personal injury lawyer?

Don't get your panties in a bunch, BB.

...

Joey - I never expected to hit any sort of jackpot. However it is evident that the insurance company owed us a car of at least equal value, and to cover our medical bills. They gave us $6000, but now we are being charged $3000 for medical bills. That leaves us with $3000 cash to pay for all the lost work time, buy a new car, pay for the car rental, etc. In short, we've actually lost money in all this. So you tell me how I am screwing the system and ruining everything for idiots such as yourself.

Add up the market value of the car, wages lost, rental expenses, and any other costs provable as being directly incurrred due to the accident.

Subtract this from $6,000, which you say is the sum total of everything you received for the accident from the responsible party.

Pay whatever is left to the medical plan, up to the amount due for uncontested medical bills which the plan paid.

Whatever is left after that is yours.

You still don't get it

-Medical bills: $3000
-Value of wrecked car: $6500
-Rental car: $500
-Wages lost: $350

Total costs incurred: $10,350
Settlement: $6000

So we're $4000 in the hole.. Tell me Mr Joey how I am screwing the system? All I was asking in this forum is whether or not it was right that Kaiser is taking $3000 despite the fact that we were insured. And it looks like they are So now we're knee deep in debt.

"I am sick and tired of people using our screwed up legal system as their personal lottery. I will express that opinion as I see fit."

"Boo hoo. You didn't hit the $50,000 fender bender jackpot and your wreck was even more badder than that. I am verklempt."

You my friend, are a winner!

ya...

thought so...

I can't believe that an adult would even use the words 'more badder' and expect to taken seriously.