broken ankel

[puttz22]

What is the name of your state? Wisconsin
In Feb. 01, I fell and broke my ankel. Was taken to the emergency room by ambulence. Required surgury. At that time,I gave the hospital my insurance card. I am now being billed over $11,000 dollars because the hospital failed to get preauthorization for my hospital stay. I had 48 hrs to get the info to the insurance company. The hospital NEVER said anything about this. We thought that all was taken care of. Now I am told that it was MY resposibility to have contacted the insurance company. I had major ssurgury and was heavily medicated for over 48 hrs. Is there anything I can do? Please HELP!

 

[cbg]

The hospital does not know, nor is it responsible for finding out, the terms of your insurance policy. YOU are the one who is supposed to know what YOUR policy says, and if you do not know, then YOU or your designated representative (spouse, brother/sister, adult child) need to find out. Even within the same carrier, there can be significant differences in the requirements, and it is simply not reasonable to expect the hospital to know what the requirements are for every possible insurance plan.

About the only thing I can think of to do is start negotiating a payment plan with the hospital.