There is a big fraud issue going on with hospitalized Medicare patients so watch those itemized bills and pay attention when the Doctor actually comes in to do an exam on the hosptilized patient. Many have been sticking their head in the door and saying hello, how are you and then billing Medicare for that "medical visit". Went to a meeting where this was discussed and thought I would share!

This is very true after just having my Aunt in the hospital. Dr was putting consults down for everyday. My Mom sat and waited everyday and he didn't show up on many of those days

Be sure and dispute those charges piglet and report it to Medicare as fraud. Here's the information you need to do it.

http://www.medicare.gov/fraudabuse/HowToReport.asp

It seems like you have to go through life just watching what other people are doing, just to keep things right. 


~~life isn't about how to survive the storm but how to dance in the rain~~

When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends.
Japanese Proverb

I consider all hospitals frauds and treat their bills accordingly.  I got a small bill for my latest oncologist exam and, intead of putting on a stamp, I decided to walk about 500 feet to the hospital cashier.  I shredded to reply envelope and went.  They advised me they couldn't take the check there.  (DUH).  So I wnt home and they will wait until I gate anoher reply enevelope to get their money.  One tim I advised my partner to pay a $200 bill $50 a month.  And the scumbags still send collection threats.  I say fuck 'em.  They get the money when I have it to give.  After all, the only thing I ever get billed for now is the deductible at the beginning of the year.  I will never forget the three days room and board charge for my C-Dificile infection.  Just room and meals were $17,000.  Luckily we had the good insurance then and it was covered 100%.  If I had the new company insurance it would have been covered at only 90% and I would have had to pay $1700.   Now I have medicare and a supplemental which covers 100%.  What a fucking mess the medical profession is.

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"We are all equal, but we definitely are not the same"
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I remember when I went into labor. It was of course on a Saturday and it was around 11:30 at night. Entrance to maternity ward at that time of the night is through the ER. Ok fine whatever I had to do. The ER charged me $250 to walk through and for them to push the button to get upstairs to maternity! I was floored when I saw that bill!
At the time we had the best BSBC insurance. I had to pay basically $10 to have my daughter. We made all the early addmissions and filled out all the proper paperwork so all the Dr's knew what we had so on. It was time for me to have the epidural. They tell me that NO Dr. is on call that accepts BCBS. I tell them NO then give me something else because this was all preplanned I will not pay for a Dr. that doesn't accept my insurance. Why should I? They tell me OK they will get the correct Dr. 1 month later I get a bill for over $1500 already sent to a collection lawyer! I was so furious and upset. This lawyer was such a (pardon me) dick it was unreal. He made me so scared that he was going to take everything away from me! Including my parents house if I didn't pay????? Well dummy me paid this bill. Only to find out later my friend had the samething happen and faught it and won!