x:post from LIF- Anyone ever fought an outrageous hospital charge?

Let me preface by saying we have GHI Healthy NY, and have a $50 co-pay for hospital visits.


Last month my DH was complaining of mouth pain, and he noticed a rather large abscess in the roof of his mouth. We called our dr and he was booked up for the day, so he suggested either calling around to other local drs, or if he's in excruciating pain to just go straight to the hospital. We called other drs, but none would accept a new patient at that time.

We go to the hospital, explain that he's having mouth pain and they bring him into triage. He spends 5 minutes there, and they take his blood pressure. Tell us to wait in the waiting room, and they call him after waiting an hour. He goes into fast track, spends another hour waiting for the dr to come, look into my husband's mouth and tell him that they do not treat anything regarding the mouth, and advise us to go to an oral surgeon.


Fast forward to today when we get a bill in the mail for $1675.86!!!



There isn't any type of breakdown of charges, just a billed amount for $1675.86. I refuse to pay that amount for a blood pressure reading and a dr to come in and tell us they can't help us.

Anyone have any advice, or have experience in fighting hospital charges? Words can't describe how upset I am about this considering we already shelled out $375 for the oral surgeon to pop and drain his abscess.


Thanks for reading if you go this far

Re: x:post from LIF- Anyone ever fought an outrageous hospital charge?

I have learned in all my years of hospital/dr visits and dealing with insurance companies that far too often people just let things like this go...they feel it is not worth it to fight. In some cases it is not but in this case it absolutely is worth it. Write letters make phone calls and def dispute the charges!

Re: x:post from LIF- Anyone ever fought an outrageous hospital charge?

I work in an ER and 1600 is a pretty standard bill. I do know that many insurance companies will not cover 'toothaches' if someone has had the issue for more than 24 hours. I understand your DHs issue was more than just a toothache but if it is billed that way many insurance companies will reject the bill.

Are you sure its a bill and not an explanation of charges?

Did you call your insurance company and ask them why they did not pay this?

If you felt the care you recieved was poor then you should write a complaint letter and see what happens. Unfortunately, even though they didn't do anything for you, there was still time and resources involved in your DH being seen and hospitals are a business, they just see codes and bill away without knowing the exact details.

Dental issues in the ER are difficult to treat because honestly there isn't much we can do besides pain meds and antibiotics and even those things are not curing the issue, you almost always ultimately need oral surgery or dental surgery of some sort.

anyway, im rambling...call your insurance company first, then write a complaint letter-it might work.

hope ur dh is feeling better!!


eta bc i re-read your post, did they really not do anything for him? no pain meds or antibiotics? bc if thats the case, that is unfair and they def deserve a complaint!

Re: x:post from LIF- Anyone ever fought an outrageous hospital charge?

Working in personal injury I know plenty of people that fight hospital bills and get them reduced. We have to argue bills all the time at the law firm. I would definitely contact the insurance company and find out why it wasnt covered and if you dont get anywhere there see if you can get the hospital to reduce it because 1600 isnt what they would receive from the insurance company so they are usually willing to settle.

And on a side note if you or dh have something tooth or mouth related that you cant get to a doctor or dentist go to Nassau University Medical Center on Hempstead Turnpike they have a dental/ oral surgeon clinic in there and if its not covered they rather inexpensive. I had to get a emergancy root canal w/ abcess etc and the hospital portion was covered under insurance and the dental part I paid $260 total.

There have been many changes in private insurance lately hospital visits is one thing that shouldnt be denied.