Used PRIVATE E.R.now two big bills?

[john999]

Yes, I would not pay any part of that bill because then you acknowledge responsibility.    So they ding your credit.   So what?   Are you buying a new house or car next month or next year?   I would fight the case.  This will give you something to do for 6 months and you can practice hating the VA for being liars and thieves.   When I was using Choice for dental the VA sent me to a dentist that  sent them huge bills for services that were not done.   They paid even though I told them not to.   They will pay this eventually I bet.  Once you get Medicare get A&B.  I have A&B plus the insurance I kept from USPS.  It is expensive but I have peace of mind.  I do not trust the VA as far as I can throw them and I can't even pick them up.  The hospital cannot repossess your liver or grab your house from under you for $2000.  It is not worth their time.  Like I say see if you can get Legal Aide to represent you if they sic a lawyer on you or even collection agency.   Have you gone to the Patient's advocate at the VA?  You know I am rated 60% for CAD and the VA has never sent me to a cardiologist in 8 years.  I pay for my own when I get stress test via my medicare.

[Gastone]

Buck, you may or may not be able to get the VA to cover this. Think twice before you decide not to make "Payment Arrangements" with the Hospital receivable Office, you definitely don't want your account turned over to a collection agency.

Don't wait for them to call you, get in front of this. Explain your Situation with the VA and make arrangements to pay according to your ability. If you finally get the VA to Pony Up, you're Golden.

Without payment arrangements and partial Payments being made, your account will be turned over to the Hospitals Private Collection Firm after 30 or 60 days. Next thing you know, you've got an open Collection Account, showing up on your Experian Credit Report. Could cause future credit problems, just saying.

On the other hand, if your Credit Rating isn't important or is already in the Tank, tell the Collection Dept to Pound Sand. Just be sure not to keep any more than (1) months comp in your Direct Deposit Account. That amount is protected from attachment (Garnishment) by anyone other than the VA or the IRS.

Best just to get in front of this. Next time be sure the VMC ER Honcho is notified immediately of your admission to the Non-VA ER. things are much simpler.

Semper Fi

[Buck52]

Well I am trying to get this taken care   I'm waiting on the E.R. to send me a detail copy of their service and what all their Billing me for? proper medical documentation then I send that to this place that will decide if they pay or not? if NOT I will certainly make arrangements to pay it off  I Value My Credit and right now I have Excellent Credit.

The E.R. only sent a statement of the accured cost.  Two statements  one for this amount the other for that amount  Bill for the E.R.Room  and Bill for the Dr That looked at me for less than a minute.  ...I need the detailed Billing.  

I have not Recieved that yet

[Buck52]

Gastone & Others

There is an office called Billing Office, its located down in the basement floor next to the ROI office where you get your medical records at my VAMC,you have to knock  to get someone to open the door theres a lady will ask you what you need, ''I have a problem paying this Emergency Bill I had to go to about 3 /4 weeks ago'', she ask if me or if my spouse called the VA before I went , I said yes she did ''and what did they tell you? they said under the medical condition my spouse described & reasonable reason I could not drive and  that my spouse is SSDI Disabled and can't /and afraid to drive on the busy freeways   she  said go ahead and take him to the E.R....So with all that she said I was in the system...meaning spouse called in to the VA Before seeking private treatment  and was told to go ahead,  this is also recorded in Myhealthevet notes the phone call my spouse made.

so I fax what Bills the E.R. sent me to this Billing Dept the VA uses today and now just see what happens?

However I may need to do it again  as soon as I get the detailed medical documents from E.R.

[john999]

Buck

 

                 You can talk to the hospital about paying the bill, but you will be a sucker to pay.  I would check with VA and also see if you can get free Legal Aide in your state.  You did notify the VA in advance that you were going to a private hospital in an emergency.  I guess you have to notify them via fax, registered mail and, phone  and smoke signals in advance.  I could not get to my VA's ER in an emergency because the VAMC diverts patients to nearest hospital and then refuses to pay.  If you pay this bill you will never get your money back.  I agree with Gaston to talk hospital billing, but you have to talk to VA as well and you know this already.  I had to get emergency care for dental while I was waiting for my TDIU claim to be approved.   The VA did not want to repay me and stalled for well over 6 months and my TDIU was retro to the time I had the dental care.   I had to fight tooth and nail to get the VA to pay me back 75% of what I spent.  I had a toothache so what could I do? I went to VA's business office and had to file a claim for "Unauthorized Expense".  That sounds weird, but I got most of my money back.  The first thing they did was to throw my entire claim in the shredder.  I stayed after them and finally I embarrassed them so much they paid me.  It is hard to embarrass the VA since they have no sense of shame for killing vets by neglect, but I went over their heads.  If you could put all the money the VA has failed to pay for good claims we could afford the F-35's .

[Buck52]

John999

This VA Billing office is who I talk to and they told me what I need to do to get it paid by the VA

I did what they said to do and wait to see what they say,(Above Post) & if I need to send this place any more Documents from the E.R.  (Detailed Billing)  Actually this is what I am waiting on  its called Detailed Billing   so they know what they are paying for.

For North Tx  VA  HealthCare  (Dallas Tx) The Non-VA Emergency Bills  seem to go through the Bonham Tx Billing Dept  >a Small City North east of Dallas about 60 MILES

When I get the Detailed Billing in from the Private E.R. I will send them that too... have no Ideal what this place is called  its just a # to call they give you a fax #  to submit everything from the E.R. 

It may take 6 months to get this all straighten out?

This is my first time to have to do this.

I am going  through some rough times at my home  with foundation repairs My stinking Home Owners won't cover, and had to pay a slab leak company thousands of Dollars out of my pocket to repair sewer pipes all under the house which drained me financially  and also have my son and 3 grand sons staying with us until my son finds  job  which he has but he needs a few pay checks too to  be able to find them a place to live, now I need 10.000 to pay a house leveling company to level the house and repair dry wall in two rooms in the house and replace 3 doors and paint  all of it, its just come all at once  when it rains it pours.

But I will get through all this mess   been in worse shape my friend.

I keep remembering when I could not work b/c my VA Disability's and fighting with the VA  I could not bring home any income and spouse worked at a Hair Salon doing shampoo's  for 50/75 cent a head for the girls that fixed women's hair,  she would be so tired when she got home  for what 10/12  bucks  for 10 13 hours work  this hurt me mentally.

 I'll never for get that and getting kicked out of our home for waiting on the VA to Approve my claims. Yes WE were homeless for about 5 months  stayed with my spouse sister and brother-in-law   which sucked for both of us but it was all we could do at the time.

Never for get the bad /hard times  and just be thankful for what you do have.