In USA, before you get LL, you get a quote. You then get surgery and then after discharge, you get a bill. What if the bill turns out to be way more than the initial quote? Do you have any legal safeguards against this?
I am asking about surgeons like Mahboubian and Debiparshad.
I did some research on this. I am hoping others from USA will also chime in. After all USA is the safest place to get LL done.
- Worst case, even if you don't pay your medical debt, you will not be tried in court or incarcerated. Worst case it will hit your credit score. Medical debt has a statute of limitations of 7 years. So you gotta somehow survive those 7 years with poor credit. After that the credit hit goes away.
- In many cases, if you plead at the billing department of the hospital they will give you discounts. Or at least they will put you on a payment plan which gives you time to pay. Most USA hospitals are non-profit. They are not supposed to viciously go after you for every last penny.
- There is a recently passed bill called No Surprises Act. It requires the surgeon or hospital to provide a good faith estimate of the costs involved. If the costs significantly increase after surgery, there is a dispute resolution process. At least this should prevent any malicious billing done. However, this will do nothing for complications.
- For complications, PLEASE FIND AN INSURANCE WHICH COVERS COMPLICATIONS OF NON-COVERED SERVICES. I do not know which insurances offer this but search for it. And inform the forum if you find anything.
Remember that USA is a highly developed country and one of the greatest countries where healthcare can't be so bad despite the reputation.
Quote from: ilovescience on July 07, 2022, 12:40:18 PMIf the credit score really is low in someone, will his access to hospital and other services be blocked temporarily?
Not to hospitals.
Quote from: HeightJourney2021 on July 07, 2022, 01:40:15 PMIn USA, before you get LL, you get a quote. Then you have to pay the full amount BEFORE surgery, or else the doctor will not perform the surgery.
I’m pretty sure that’s what it’s like with every other LL doctor outside of the USA.
1. With Dr Rozburch in New York City, you pay the hospital bill AFTER surgery.
2. Even if you pay before surgery they can add extra charges and send you new bills after surgery.
Quote from: ilovescience on July 07, 2022, 02:29:53 PMThanks for your explanation. I think that applies to other surgeries as well, not only cosmetic surgery, correct?
Generally for all other surgeries there is insurance coverage. So if complications happen (whether on the day of surgery or months afterwards) insurance will pay for it. You should not have to worry about paying more than a deductible and sometimes a small % of the surgery cost.
Quote from: KiloKAHN on July 09, 2022, 05:59:49 AMI recently had a blood clot in my pelvis and needed surgery to put in a stent and prevent an embolism
I had my surgery at USC in Los Angeles. I have been paying $450 a month in the private market for Blue Shield CA insurance. The hospital billed $7,500 for one day in the hospital and $106,000 for surgery. After insurance coverage, I owed $13,000 out of pocket. What I found dealing with the hospital system is that I'd have an appointment and for that one visit be billed 3 separate times - a bill for the doctor fee, a bill for use of the room, and a bill for lab testing.
The US Healthcare system even with insurance will see you getting multiple fees. And if you don't pay it, you'll likely get a collections person coming after you foe the remaining bill.
Is this blood clot related to your LL surgery?
And if you don't pay what will the collections person do? Just call you and give up?
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