Posted on 01/02/2014 3:06:08 PM PST by kristinn
Hospital staff in Northern Virginia are turning away sick people on a frigid Thursday morning because they can't determine whether their Obamacare insurance plans are in effect.
Patients in a close-in DC suburb who think they've signed up for new insurance plans are struggling to show their December enrollments are in force, and health care administrators aren't taking their word for it.
In place of quick service and painless billing, these Virginians are now facing the threat of sticker-shock that comes with bills they can't afford.
'They had no idea if my insurance was active or not!' a coughing Maria Galvez told MailOnline outside the Inova Healthplex facility in the town of Springfield.
She was leaving the building without getting a needed chest x-ray.
'The people in there told me that since I didn't have an insurance card, I would be billed for the whole cost of the x-ray,' Galvez said, her young daughter in tow. 'It's not fair – you know, I signed up last week like I was supposed to.'
The x-ray's cost, she was told, would likely be more than $500.
Galvez said she enrolled in a Carefirst Blue Cross bronze plan at a cost of about $450 per month through healthcare.gov, three days before Christmas.
'No one has sent me a bill,' she said.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testified in a December 11 congressional hearing that the federal government can't say how many new enrollees have written checks for their first month's premiums.
'Some may have paid, some may have not,' she conceded.
It's unlikely that a valid insurance card would have changed Galvez' fortunes, however.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
That has never been my experience, including last month. Always got the negotiated rate.
Before obamacare the hospitals would treat anyone. Apparently now that EVERYONE is supposed to have insurance the hospitals no longer believe they have to provide free healthcare.
Why was this woman at a hospital for a cough? Paying straight cash I could see a doctor at a clinic or urgent care center with the x-ray in the $200 neighborhood.
The cheapest plan has the HIGHEST deductible.
In reference to deducitibles, that’s probably what she was told.
FYI. we purchased direct from BcBs, same letter, no cards. Wife went for test today, they found her in the system. No issues.. Hope it’s the same for you..
And guess what group the MSM picks to show if they cover Obamacare at all --
(Hint: It's a single digit.)
Welcome to DemocratCare Ms. Galvez, 100% of them voted for it in the House and Senate and not one Republican.
Thanks, glad it worked out.
offer to pay in cash and see how much they quote.
Have you actually seen a doctor or has any medical services provided to you under Obamacare?
Did the system work? I’m betting not.
I bet she was surprised when she thought that it would be free. After all, that was implied.
The plan with the highest premiums still has a deductible in the many thousands of dollars - far exceeding the $500 charge in question.
Good point.
Of course not since it went into effect 15:31 ago.
But since I am staying with the same primary care provider and the same specialist, I doubt it will change that much from what it was before.
Sorry, yesterday was the first day.
First they got to put you in $50 paper gown. Then feed you 2 $50 aspirins. Then rent you a $75 wheel chair. Then have a couple of useless nurses come in and administer a breathing test that costs $100. Then they hire a pusher for the wheel chair for $60. Then they take a $100 xray. Then charge you $65 to discharge from the hospital.
Now comes the DR. fees!
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