Comments on: Checks and big balances

By: worm composting

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By: Expat Mum

Expat Mum — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 16:36:09 +0000

With three kids, I am quite the expert on the US health insurance paperwork, and if all else fails, I phone the insurance company because they are bound and determined to root out any “unusual” billing from doctors.
I am with Alasdair on the “This in not a bill” (or EOB – Explanation of Benefits). It seems you receive about 5 pieces of paper before your actual bill comes through.
Note to anyone new to this country – don’t throw out anything, as it can sometimes take months for all the bills to arrive, and never ignore a bill – or you will be referred to a debt collection agency, and that’s not funny.

By: Alasdair

Alasdair — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:58:16 +0000

Dylan – heredity ? Or was it a transplant ?

There are many flavours of health insurance over here, from PPO to POS … the POS that I and my familay are in is of the type that sends out many “This is not a Bill” letters, while they pursue the various insurance companies actually involved in the POS …

Then, once they hae us firmly conditioned that their letters all say “This is not a Bill”, they finally send out one that says “Pay this !” … except that they only put that on the *inside* – so we have already thrown it away unopened by force of long habit …

Then, after several of that latter type, one day, a thin letter arrives saying “Pay this, or we send you to Collections !” – at which point, we pay our co-pays … (Yes, they don’t take co-pays at the Dr’s office – go figure) …

By: Iota

Iota — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:36:48 +0000

Oh I’m so glad I’m not the only one who was naive. I thought health insurance meant everything would be covered (cue, hollow laughter).

It’s the randomness of the system that confuses me. Some things are covered, some not. Sometimes you pay a co-pay, sometimes not. Perhaps they just like the randomness of the administrative systems to reflect the worrying randomness of life.

By: NFAH

NFAH — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:41:08 +0000

What on earth sort of insurance do you have? In all the time in the US, I never paid more than the co-pay (often $10 or $20) for medical expenses. (Dental, now that was another story…)

By: Apsidal

Apsidal — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:54:35 +0000

I go through a veritable wodge of cheques here in Canada simply because their equivalent of Direct Debit is a “pre-authorised” cheque, while their equivalent of Standing Order is a whole swathe of post-dated cheques. Is the US any better in this regard? And to those who don’t know what on earth I’m talking about, my sincere sympathies for living in such an archaic banking system.

By: Stella Jones

Stella Jones — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:05:06 +0000

Yes, I discovered the intricacies of the system over here when I got a rather nasty bite on my leg. It swelled up alarmingly, showing signs of an allergic reaction, so off I went to the dermatologist. We returned to the apartment 200 dollars lighter after purchasing the recommended can of foam to mend my leg! I was shocked! In England that would have been a 7.50 (Eng. pounds)
bottle of Amoxil antibiotic and maybe a tube of Dermocort. Oh well, they’ll learn one day, won’t they! The difference is that here in US they want you to be ill so you can keep going back to the doctor for (expensive) treatment. In the UK, the doctor gives you what you need and sends you off to get better (quickly).
Blessings, Star

By: Trixie Trouble

Trixie Trouble — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:22:52 +0000

Long live the NHS!

By: Mom/Mum

Mom/Mum — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:55:37 +0000

Funny post and oh so true!