Law Technology

Insured Medical Bills vs. Uninsured Medical Bills

A quick comment about rates insurance companies pay and how much uninsured people pay. I recently helped a friend out with a few doctor's bills. I don't do this for a living, but did it to help a friend. The bulk of it was two Emergency Room visits about two months apart. She had insurance on the second visit, but was uninsured for the first visit.

She had charges of $2,617. Insurance paid $370 and there was a contractual adjustment of $2,047.00. That left her a balance of $200 to pay.

She had charges of $4,719.76. The hospital agreed to reduce it to $3,020.65.

Of course, if she got the same deal that the insurance company got and paid both her portion and the insurance portion, it would come out to owing the hospital only $1,027.96 .

We were able to work a significant reduction for her. But it's crazy that this goes on.

Full post as published by South Carolina Trial Law Blog on December 02, 2009 (boomark / email).