133 lines
5.8 KiB
Plaintext
133 lines
5.8 KiB
Plaintext
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(word processor parameters LM=8, RM=75, TM=2, BM=2)
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Taken from KeelyNet BBS (214) 324-3501
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Sponsored by Vangard Sciences
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PO BOX 1031
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Mesquite, TX 75150
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May 2, 1991
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RIPOFF1.ASC
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
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From the April 16, 1991 EXAMINER tabloid.
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
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Hospital Cost Ripoffs
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A stay in the hospital - even for just a few days - can put a giant
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dent in your wallet. But there ARE ways you can beat the confusing
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JARGON on INFLATED BILLS and NAIL HOSPITALS for outrageous
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accounting practices.
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"A disappointingly large number of physicians and hospitals
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overcharge for services or bill for what they DON'T do," warns Dr.
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Laurens White, president of the California Medical Association.
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"One oncologist (cancer specialist) charged $8,000 to administer a
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drug that costs $120 - and doesn't work well anyway. I'd like to
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wring his neck."
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But most victims of brazen overbilling only wring their hands at the
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thought of decoding questionable bills that demand :
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1) $11.10 for a "soft foot cast" (elastic bandage)
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2) $ 5.10 for a "urinal" (plastic cup)
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3) $16.00 for a plastic baby pacifier
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4) $15.00 for throwaway paper slippers
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5) $ 8.85 for a paper "linen saver"
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6) $ 6.00 for six aspirin tablets
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7) $ 4.40 for toothpaste
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8) $93.00 for simply cleaning an orthopedic bone saw
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9) $13.98 for three Band-Aid strips used to attach wires from a
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monitor to the patient
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10) $ 4.98 for a clip used to connect an oxygen tube to the
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patient's nose
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Says one investigator; "A patient was even charged $1.81 for
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drinking water." And don't look for protection from shocking bills
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through your medical insuror or employer, much less the hospital
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itself, researchers warn.
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Profit-conscious insurance firms pay 85 percent of all U.S. hospital
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bills, so their auditors usually look where the biggest overcharge
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money is; client bills of $10,000 OR MORE.
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And equally profit-oriented hospitals often hire cutthroat revenue-
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recovery firms to pinpoint undercharges and ignore any gross
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overcharges, according to a U.S. Senate subcommittee investigation
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last year. But remember, the American Hospital Association's
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Patient's Bill of Rights insists;
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Page 1
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"The patient has the RIGHT to examine and receive an explanation
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of his bill, regardless of source of payment."
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Experts say these actions are your first line of medical-bill
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defense:
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1) Keep a DAILY RECORD of services, medications and other
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supplies as you receive them in the hospital.
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2) Don't assume that ANYTHING offered is FREE. ALWAYS ASK HOW
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MUCH.
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3) Make sure you get an ITEMIZED BILL FOR EACH DEPARTMENT
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involved.
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4) Don't pay or sign a pay agreement until you carefully look
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over the bill, at home if necessary.
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5) Examine EVERY bill. Some are amendments with additional
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charges.
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6) Get the hospital to document any questionable charges. If it
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refuses, or threatens legal or private collection
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action, contact your state consumer protection agency
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and/or attorney general's fraud division.
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7) Ghost Services - Charges for standard services normally used
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in a case like yours, but you didn't receive because
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they weren't necessary or were never performed.
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8) Service Duplication - Mistakenly performed services which had
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already been completed.
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9) Multiple Billing - Two departments charge you for the same
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service, or one bills you twice for a single service.
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10) Inflate Service - Number juggling in which the facts of
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treatment or a single charge for an operation are broken
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into a series of charges - all resulting in a higher
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fee.
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11) Human Error - Medical chart information is inaccurately
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transferred to the bill or a keypunch mistake is made.
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
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If you have comments or other information relating to such topics
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as this paper covers, please upload to KeelyNet or send to the
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Vangard Sciences address as listed on the first page.
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Thank you for your consideration, interest and support.
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Jerry W. Decker.........Ron Barker...........Chuck Henderson
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Vangard Sciences/KeelyNet
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
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If we can be of service, you may contact
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Jerry at (214) 324-8741 or Ron at (214) 242-9346
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
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Page 2
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