ramssuperbowl99 Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 5 minutes ago, iPwn said: That one is making me draw a blank. Is it Dolphus Raymond? The dude who pretends to be a drunk? Dolphus, regardless of the Mockingbird reference would be a really hipster name. Can't remember the name, but yeah the guy who leans into the stereotype of him being a drunk. 6 minutes ago, Darth Pees said: It's a plan I have through work that I have literally never touched until last month. My deductible (if I'm reading this right) is $1,500. Did you double check that your GI referral was in-network? Honestly, if this is your first experience with crappy US healthcare shenanigans, $400 is getting off easy. Every time you go to the doctor or the dentist, get it verified in writing that they are in-network and get an estimated list of charges before your appointment. The first time I went to my new dentist, the hygienist was sitting in the hallway for 10 minutes because I wouldn't start the appointment without that confirmation. If it makes you feel any better, I have a co-worker who got cancer, and he was billed out of network rates for the blood work he got because the samples that the in-network doctor sent without asking him went to an out-of-network lab. It's criminal and ridiculous and embarrassing for our country, but that's where we are. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramssuperbowl99 Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 3 minutes ago, MrDrew said: A lot places are going to a high-deductible plan. My deductible for the family is $3k. Look into the HSA if it is a high deductible plan. They take whatever amount you designate every paycheck, and you can use it to pay any medical/dental/vision bill. An HSA never goes away, and it lowers your taxable income. @Darth Pees I second the HSA. It's awesome. If your work doesn't have an HSA, you can open one on your own. I use HSABank. $60/yearly in fees (about half of that if you keep it in cash) and you get to deduct up to $3450 off your taxable income per year (double for family). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWil23 Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Yeah, unfortunately don't ask anyone if they ACCEPT your insurance, because "they do". Ask them if they're a PROVIDER. Huge difference. Most of us have been there and done that. It's infuriating. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETSGOBROWNIES Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 3 minutes ago, MrDrew said: A lot places are going to a high-deductible plan. My deductible for the family is $3k. Look into the HSA if it is a high deductible plan. They take whatever amount you designate every paycheck, and you can use it to pay any medical/dental/vision bill. An HSA never goes away, and it lowers your taxable income. This. An individual can put like $3400 ish per year in (tax free) and I encourage everyone to max it out if able. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFlaccoSeagulls Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Just now, ramssuperbowl99 said: Did you double check that your GI referral was in-network? Honestly, if this is your first experience with crappy US healthcare shenanigans, $400 is getting off easy. Every time you go to the doctor or the dentist, get it verified in writing that they are in-network and get an estimated list of charges before your appointment. The first time I went to my new dentist, the hygienist was sitting in the hallway for 10 minutes because I wouldn't start the appointment without that confirmation. If it makes you feel any better, I have a co-worker who got cancer, and he was billed out of network rates for the blood work he got because the samples that the in-network doctor sent without asking him went to an out-of-network lab. It's criminal and ridiculous and embarrassing for our country, but that's where we are. Yeah the GI is in-network. It is my first experience with crappy US healthcare shenanigans, because I'm a healthy 26 year old and have avoided this at all costs ever since high school. I chose the places I chose specifically through my insurance portal online that indicated they were all in-network. So far my dentist claims have all been paid for, and my payment for the PCP office visit was $11 and Aetna paid the rest. All in all, this is why I refuse to go see the doctor over something so goddamn trivial in the first place. I'll live with chronic stomach aches after I eat if it means I don't have to pay $400+ just for telling someone about it. I can't imagine the anguish, anger, and confusion of someone who has freaking cancer and is getting exploited by our healthcare system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFlaccoSeagulls Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 2 minutes ago, ramssuperbowl99 said: @Darth Pees I second the HSA. It's awesome. If your work doesn't have an HSA, you can open one on your own. I use HSABank. $60/yearly in fees (about half of that if you keep it in cash) and you get to deduct up to $3450 off your taxable income per year (double for family). 1 minute ago, LETSGOBROWNIES said: This. An individual can put like $3400 ish per year in (tax free) and I encourage everyone to max it out if able. I have an HSA, just need to figure out how to use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDrew Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Just now, Darth Pees said: I have an HSA, just need to figure out how to use it. If you have an HSA, and you're putting into it, they should have sent you a card. If not, call and get one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETSGOBROWNIES Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 1 minute ago, Darth Pees said: I have an HSA, just need to figure out how to use it. I have a debit card for mine. Call the company that manages the account. You can also reimburse yourself after the fact. Just make sure to KEEP THE RECEIPTS for tax time next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFlaccoSeagulls Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 2 minutes ago, MrDrew said: If you have an HSA, and you're putting into it, they should have sent you a card. If not, call and get one. Just now, LETSGOBROWNIES said: I have a debit card for mine. Call the company that manages the account. You can also reimburse yourself after the fact. Just make sure to KEEP THE RECEIPTS for tax time next year. And this is the part where I mention how I completely forgot about the HSA debit card that's been sitting, unactivated, in my wallet for 2 years now right? Ugh, I'm an idiot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramssuperbowl99 Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 8 minutes ago, Darth Pees said: Yeah the GI is in-network. It is my first experience with crappy US healthcare shenanigans, because I'm a healthy 26 year old and have avoided this at all costs ever since high school. I chose the places I chose specifically through my insurance portal online that indicated they were all in-network. So far my dentist claims have all been paid for, and my payment for the PCP office visit was $11 and Aetna paid the rest. All in all, this is why I refuse to go see the doctor over something so goddamn trivial in the first place. I'll live with chronic stomach aches after I eat if it means I don't have to pay $400+ just for telling someone about it. I can't imagine the anguish, anger, and confusion of someone who has freaking cancer and is getting exploited by our healthcare system. If they were in-network, then check with your policy and see what fraction you're owed. If $400+ is the total cost of the visit, then you'll owe some fraction. Otherwise, you might have gotten an insurance bill for $2k and are responsible for 20% of it. Sucks, but it is what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFlaccoSeagulls Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Alright I feel a lot better now and I'm no longer in a panic about how I'm going to pay out-of-pocket for this. I checked my HSA and I had like $1,250 in there. Activated my HSA debit card and used that to pay for the services so hopefully that'll take care of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFlaccoSeagulls Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Just now, ramssuperbowl99 said: If they were in-network, then check with your policy and see what fraction you're owed. If $400+ is the total cost of the visit, then you'll owe some fraction. Otherwise, you might have gotten an insurance bill for $2k and are responsible for 20% of it. Sucks, but it is what it is. $488 was the total cost, I got a "member discount" of like $70 and then it said that I am responsible for $417. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramssuperbowl99 Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 9 minutes ago, LETSGOBROWNIES said: Just make sure to KEEP THE RECEIPTS for tax time next year. *Forever. There's no time limit on when you can use the deduction on anything you withdraw. So invest it, let it grow tax free, then keep those receipts. Best scam ever. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETSGOBROWNIES Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 2 minutes ago, ramssuperbowl99 said: If they were in-network, then check with your policy and see what fraction you're owed. If $400+ is the total cost of the visit, then you'll owe some fraction. Otherwise, you might have gotten an insurance bill for $2k and are responsible for 20% of it. Sucks, but it is what it is. He’ll have to hit his deductible before they’ll pick up any portion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywindO2 Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 1 minute ago, ramssuperbowl99 said: *Forever. There's no time limit on when you can use the deduction on anything you withdraw. So invest it, let it grow tax free, then keep those receipts. Best scam ever. Wait, how does this work? I used my HSA to buy contacts this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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