It's time to pay The Piper. The Piper sent a bill. A bill for Farmer H's walker. The walker he was given when he left the hospital after his back surgery, because the staff felt it would make him more stable than a cane. How convenient. Farmer H has a plethora of canes that he has gathered from assorted storage units, auctions, and estate sales.
Anyhoo... I looked at the bill, as I am wont to do before writing out a check.
Here are the specs:
Description: Wheeled Walker
Quantity: 1
Amount Billed: $306.84
Insurance Allowed Amount: $46.60
Insurance Amount Due: $37.28
Customer Amount Due: $9.32
How does that make sense? The Piper billed $306.84 for a Wheeled Walker, but is willing to accept only a total of $46.60? Which is the Insurance Amount Due, plus Farmer H's Amount Due.
What happened to the rest of the "worth" of that walker? Insurance pays 80%, and Farmer H's part is 20%. That's standard. But what about that whopping $306.84? How did that get "reduced" to $46.60? Don't get me wrong. I don't want Farmer H paying 20% of the amount billed. I'm just trying to figure out this system.
Insurance is crooked. And so is The Piper.
I don't understand that bill at all. I thought the walker was on loan from the hospital to be returned when no longer needed. We can buy our won here at local pharmacies for a much cheaper cost, depending on how fancy the model is.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
ReplyDeleteThe hospitals don't loan. We can get them at pharmacies, or a medical supply store like where I got The Pony's crutches. Not sure how the insurance would work there, since The Pony had to pay out of pocket due to his Worker's Comp claim.
Hospitals here loan crutches for people leaving after having a broken leg set in plaster, the crutches get returned when they leg is healed and the plaster removed.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
ReplyDeleteNot here. The hospital "gives" them to you, but you pay. Or at least the insurance does!