My father had good insurance. He went in for a spider bite. He needed to stay the night. I arrived and he thanked me for Teddy Bear, and flowers. I told him I didn't send you anything. He said, "Well someone did?"
Weeks later he called me up, and said the gift shop on the hospital send the gift, and charged the Insurance company $230. Billed under something like "psychological affirmations".
Any who--they are thieving entities. It kills me when I meet people, with no assets, who pay their inflated hospital bills out of American pride? They are so strong in their convictions, I don't even bring up a chapter 7. I understand they save live, but don't financially ruin patients.
One other memory. I went in for something. I had great insurance, so I didn't worry about the bill. They gave me a blood test. A week went by, and I got a bill for $900. I called my union, and they the hospital didn't know I had insurance.
My union said my bill would be $10. She said the hospital sent them the bill of $100, and I would pay my 10 percent. I asked, "Why do they only charge you $100?" She said, "It's about Collective Bargaining. Yea--I find it shocking too."