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Payment For Medical Bill

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*Bergie*

Question

I'm not sure where to post this but here goes. A friend of my wifes father who is service connected had a heart attack, was taken by ambulance to the "nearest" hospital which is protocol. After emergency bypass surgery, hospital stay etc., they got a huge bill from the hospital. The hospital told them the VA is refusing to pay the bill because they went to an "outside "hospital. Can someone advise how to handle this, I told my wifes friend I thought the VA is responsible because it was a life threatening situation. Again any help would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Bergie

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  • HadIt.com Elder
I'm not sure where to post this but here goes. A friend of my wifes father who is service connected had a heart attack, was taken by ambulance to the "nearest" hospital which is protocol. After emergency bypass surgery, hospital stay etc., they got a huge bill from the hospital. The hospital told them the VA is refusing to pay the bill because they went to an "outside "hospital. Can someone advise how to handle this, I told my wifes friend I thought the VA is responsible because it was a life threatening situation. Again any help would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Bergie

How about the notification time period that carlie asked about. I don't know if it matters anymore, so many rules have changed since I have been involved with that bureaucracy. I hope your friend feels better soon

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carlie,

From what she said it was determined by the paramedics to be "life threatening", which was why he was taken to the nearest hospital. I'll have to get back to you on the other questions though. I'll find out and let you know.

Thank you,

Bergie

reminds me of my nightmare story with fee basis.

I was int he hospital for 5 months, they finally said go home ..

I was waiting at home, after having home nhursing care and 5 months at the hospital, revovering from pancreaticc surgery and thrombobis.. I went to my doctor's checkup at the local VA clinic and I was really feeling sick, very very could barly stand and could only walk 20 feet, I was determined to never go back into the hospital..

I walked in, barely amde it to the dek, then sat down, waited for my doctor.. when I got to the nurse and they took my blood pressure they did several checks, and called 911.. an ambulance took me to the local hospital..

my blood oressure was way too low..

While they they said I had a blockage in an artey in my liver, because of the portal vein thrombosis and pancreas disease...

they tried ot transfer to the VA hospital the next day but there wer eno beds available.. I had to stay 3 days..

it was pretty nice, quiet, no roomates, carpeted floors..

on the thrid day, at night, they wheeled me out and I went back tot he VA hospital for 4 more weeks.. I had already spent 5 months there int he prvious months..

I started getting bills form the hospital they took me to.

I continued to get bills for one year..

I kept sending them to Fee Basis and they rejected one saying they would not pay for the third day..

I had to explain to them I did not puposley stay the thrid day, and that the VA sent me there and would not let me return to the VA hsopital for 3 days because there were no beds available until the thrid night..

Fee Basis was trying to say I stayed without authoriazation..

after I explained all.. and after that they paid for everything,, but I had bill collectors calling for one year because Fee Basis took one year to pay the bills..

fee Bais is hard to work with, but they will give you phone numbers addresses and fax numbers.. but you must do al the legg work, send them copies and explain with letters... I had to have several appeals..

plus you can nevert see anyone in person, it is only through mail and pone..

warning to those with only part 'A' Medi-Cal, that will not cover anything...

you must have and pay for part 'B' if you want to make sure you are covered, luckily, the VA covered al my esxpenses and I can say that I would probably owe millions... $$

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  • HadIt.com Elder

Fee basis has office in every VA Hospital but they hide. You can walk in and talk about your bills at any time.

I can't cite it but Obama recently signed into law legislation that will require Fee Basis to pay for outside emergency care.

This is important. As soon as possible you have to notify Fee Basis that you are in a hospital and state why as clearly as you can. For most they will stay at Hospital and VA will pay but you can almost count on being turned down at first pass

Good Luck

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