Reply #18: We just got a $5,000 bill for a two hour visit to the ER

[gardenista]

A YEAR AGO.

We had already paid $2K when we were billed (I guess for the physician only, now that we review the bills)

We thought we were done with it, and that we had dodged a bullet. $2K is a lot, but we were expecting more. Then we went on with life and forgot about it.

Well, two weeks ago, a demand for immediate payment for $5K frigging dollars arrived in the mail, out of the blue.

I called about it, did some research, and indeed, this is perfectly legal for them to wait even longer to bill for medical services.

I dare say that I'm almost glad that this outrageous reminder of what it's like to be without health insurance arrived, now that we're covered but looking down the barrel at COBRA again unless things turn around at my husband's company.

2 hours in the ER. I can see very easily how people rapidly lose everything due to lack of medical insurance.

It is a travesty, and I wonder how closely liked the lack of affordable healthcare and foreclosures in this country might be.