I had the most miserable experience at the Emergency Room of Dignity Health, Saint Francis Memorial Hospital, San Farncisco.
I went to the emergency roomwith a severe case of diarrhea. I was made to wait for so long that I had to go to the bathroom several times while waiting.The reception area had several homeless people and was filthy - this is a hospital! The bathroom was disgustingly filthy.
My entire interaction with the medical staff was less than 20 minutes, during which I gave urine and stool sample and they checked my blood pressure and gave me a prescription and one pill. That was it.
I went into a state of shock when I received the bill from the hospital for $1,636.93. This is after the insurance had already paid them $807.7. Per my insurance company the ER bill was $1902. The doctor's and the lab bills are of course separate. The hospital naturally did not send me an itemized bill (till I insisted on it) nor was I notified of the lab results.
I was flabbergasted to find out that a hospital can charge $1902 for a prescription and a pill and yes providing access to a fillthy toilet for several times.
When I called to dispute the overall bill, the billing department rep said that the hospital bills "Can not be Disputed" - Period.
I wrote to Todd Strumwassar MD, Interim President and CEO and then to David Klein MD, President. Till date no response from them.
It is crystal clear to me that the message from Dignity Health, Saint Francis Memorial Hospital is "We will charge whatever we want because We Can".
I will pay the bill but continue to dispute it. Fortunately for me it will not matter in the future because I will never go back there again. And my message to everyone else is Stay Far Far away from Dignity Health Saint Francis Hospital, San Farncisco.