Bipolar Insurance - The Shocking Truth About Medical Bills

The Shocking Truth About Medical Bills

By David Oliver

When it comes to bipolar, the next thing worse than a major manic episode is a big giant medical bill from the disorder. After my mom got out of the hospital and out patient program, it began to rain down bills on us. It was truly amazing. It was like someone turned on the send lots of medical bills switch and they started coming.

Here is the amazing thing. I don't really have statistics but I would say 90% of the bills we got were wrong and 2/3 in favor of the hospital. Sometimes my mom would get a $3000 bill with no description. At first I almost had a heart attack when I saw these bills but then I employee a slight modification to my ask yes only questions philosophy (Just so you remember that is when you assume everything you are asking for is able to be gotten, you don't take no for an answer which forces people to go and find out a way to make what you want come true). Anyway, what I did was call up and say "Why did I get this medical bill, I wasn't suppose to get this bill, please remove this."

Studies actually have shown that 90% of all medical bills are wrong in some way.

With this statement, 50% percent of the time, I would hear "oh you are right, just ignore that bill." I don't know why this is. When it first happen to me, I was thinking "should I get this in writing?" But I didn't I waited and the bills went away. They were errors, mistakes, summaries of what was owed by covered by the insurance. As I started to investigate and have a friendly conversation with people in the system, they said "oh the system just sends bills out like that."

I asked these people how many people don't call and just pay it. They didn't know. I have a feeling a good percentage of the people do. I guess because I am a skeptical guy I think it's like a scheme. Think of these, if we have 10,000 people and we mail them all bills for an extra $3000 by "accident" if 10% pay the accidental bill without checking it, that's $300,000 in free money for the system. I am not sure if this is what they are doing but I think so.

Assume all your bills are wrong

Make them prove that it is right

Ask for itemized breakdowns

Assume that whatever bill you get, is suppose to be covered by the insurance you have (if you have insurance)

Always say that everything you got was approved by the insurance company (which it should have bill).

I believe doing this, will lower you medical costs. It did for my mom, and countless other people I told this concept to.

If the bill is right, if you don't have the money to pay it, try the following:
Negotiate payments
Get a modified payment schedule in writing with any agreement that it will not affect your credit rating
Check to see any hospital charity care programs or program for those that can't afford to pay the bill or are on disability.

About The Author

David Oliver is the founder of FreeBipolarSupport.com a one stop source of information on how to cope and deal with bipolar disorder. Sign up for one of his FREE Mini Courses on Bipolar by visiting FreeBipolarCourse.com.

This Week's Bipolar News

Most important things we can give: love, time
BizJournals
Dr. Paul Keck Jr. is president and CEO of the $28 million, 64-bed Lindner Center of Hope in Mason and executive vice chairman and Lindner Professor of Psychiatry & Neuroscience in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. A graduate of Dartmouth College and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Keck is an expert in bipolar disorder and has published more ...

Discrimination at Work
About - News Issues
... is really disturbing that an employer could be so crass. Have you told your employer about having bipolar disorder? What has your experience been with this?

Bipolar mom is too much for hard-pressed couple
The Standard-Times
Dear Annie: Three months ago, my husband and I accompanied my 71-year-old mother to our home in California. She was released to my care because the authorities in Pennsylvania felt she could no longer manage on her own. She has a history of mental...

Man gets 30 years for murdering mother
Naperville Sun
Cliff Newcomer suffers from bipolar disorder, the release said. The mangled body of Marilyn Newcomer, 55, was discovered about 11:45 pm on Jan. ...

Many Famous People Suffer With Bipolar Disorder
Corsavoo.com
Writers have been some of the most famous people with bipolar disorder. Mark Twain was one such writer. He, like many other writers, was highly functional ...

Click here for all Bipolar News.

Featured Article:

TAKE ACTION!

I received an email from a person the other day. She asked me why so many great successful people, leaders, business people, etc. have Bipolar Disorder. I have long had a theory (but I don't have any kind of study to point to which would prove my theory). Here's what I think, though:

In order for you to start something, whatever it is: open a daycare center, write a book, build a website, go to college, discover the cure for cancer, create world peace â€“ you have to do something really important. Know what it is?

You have to TAKE ACTION!

Click here to read the entire article.

Featured Article:

Why People with Bipolar Disorder
Don't Take Their Medications

The word used to describe not taking your medications is called "noncompliance." When you are noncompliant with your medications, you could be causing great danger to yourself (and possibly others), and it could even be fatal.

Studies show that roughly 25 percent of medications are not taken as prescribed. As far as psychiatric medications, this number is doubled. With bipolar disorder, one in two patients will stop their medication in the first 12 months of treatment; usually because they will experiment with their dosage and/or go off their medication altogether (many because they enjoy their manic "highs"). Click here to read the entire article.

BipolarCentral
Your One Stop Source For Information On Bipolar Disorder

The Shocking Truth About Medical Bills

Back to Article List

This Week's Bipolar News

Featured Article:

TAKE ACTION!

Featured Article:

Why People with Bipolar Disorder
Don't Take Their Medications

BipolarCentral Your One Stop Source For Information On Bipolar Disorder

The Shocking Truth About Medical Bills

Back to Article List

This Week's Bipolar News

Featured Article:

TAKE ACTION!

Featured Article:

Why People with Bipolar Disorder Don't Take Their Medications

BipolarCentral
Your One Stop Source For Information On Bipolar Disorder

Why People with Bipolar Disorder
Don't Take Their Medications