Health Management Associates, River Oaks Hospital
I had arthroscopic knee surgery in Nov. of 2001, as an outpatient at River Oaks Hospital in Jackson, MS. I was in at 7:00a.m and was finally seen at 8:00. I was out by 1:00 p.m. My bill from them, after my insurance company paid 80% was $1,180.00. This is outrageous!!!
I have had four other outpatient surgeries performed in the past two years. The most for any of those charges was less than $200.00.
In the Spring of 1999, I had open-heart surgery and was in intensive care for three days and in a private room for three. My charges from the hospital were a total of $2400.00.
I asked for an itemized statement of charges from River Oaks. I received one. Some of the items were, "Surgical gown $$29.24" and "Ice pack $18.13" the most unbeleiveable charge was, "First hour $2,285.98".
Many of the items I paid for, were not given to me when I left. They should have at least informed me upfront that I was not getting them and should have discussed the cost of this procedure ahead of time.
When I saw them, it was too late to make a difference. I cannot believe these people. Now I know why insurance premiums are so high. Can anyone help me? Can anyone tell me where to go next to seek assistance?
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Don't feel like the Lone Ranger
#20
Sun, January 06, 2002
They filed the following to the above Rip-Off Report:
Their email: adolphchrist@godisdead.com
Their name: Adolph
Their relationship to the company: Owner
Rebuttal:
Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. I checked myself into the Bronson hospital, Kalamazoo, MI, 8-6-01. All I wanted (and needed) was a couple bags of intravenous saline solution to correct severe dehydration. I was there less than three hours. As soon as they found out I was on Medicare with good supplemental coverage, just about every physician on duty
stopped in to see me so a 'consultation fee' could be assessed.
Bottom line, my two bags of saline solution cost over $900.00 by
the time the 'tests they deemed necessary' were performed. All of this in a period of about 2 1/2 hours, then I drove the rest of the way home. And people wonder why the Medicare system is in trouble and health insurance is so high. This stop presented no out-of-pocket expense on my part, but I still hate to see a bill generated that they knew d**n well they'd never get out of me. (If I were paying)....Can you spell G-O-U-G-E ?