Rant about insurance billing

[Orrex]

When I'm bleeding from my orifices and I show up at the hospital, I have basically one point of contact with the healthcare industry. Regardless of how many outsourced phlebotomists and redundant chart-readers they involve in the process, I deal with the people in the exam room and that's it.

So why do I receive 37 bills from 27 different sources, each with wholly different amounts and descriptions and dates of service? I receive multiple billing statements on the same day, each nearly identical except for the part that says "your provider may bill you this amount." Why can't there be a single entity to coordinate billing and distribution of payment? Why, in short, can't I receive a bill that says "Orrex, for your five minutes in the hospital, you owe $2,528.52" and leave it at that?

In short, there is no reason, except to fuck up and befuddle the healthcare victim. I have an insurance license, for god's sake, and it still takes me half an hour to figure out one page of billing snafu.

Even if we can't risk poisoning our capitalist paradise with the evils of socialized medicine, it would be a great improvement if--at any time--the victim could discern how much he owes to which organization.


Edited to add: Holy shit!

[uppityperson]

1. Even if they work in the same place, are different businesses. I know what you mean though

If you have insurance, eventually you will get a bill saying you owe this provider an arm, that one a leg, the next your right ear, etc etc etc.

What is an "insurance license"? Back when was doing Home Health visits, part of what I did was spend time with people I visited to help them deal with ins stuff. They don't make it easy and most insurance companies are there for 1 reason. To make money. If they can discourage you enough so you will just up and pay, you win.

There is a problem that different departments working in the same building can be different businesses. That leads to you getting multiple bills from each, and from the ins co. A folder to keep them all in helps.

It would be a great thing to be able to have it all be simplified but OMG! Socialized Medicine!!!11111

[Orrex]

2. You make a good point, but...

My company works through subcontractors all the time--that is, separate businesses--but we still present a single, consolidated, and itemized bill to the customer. To do otherwise would be preposterous.

At least, it would be preposterous to a company that values the customer!



I know that you weren't disagreeing with me, but I suspected that someone would raise that point.