Am I now liable?

[tiggoone]

A few months ago I had pains in my side, so bad I ended up in the floor at work. They sent me to their health care provider under workmans comp (I did not ask for this). By the time I was seen the pains had gone away so I just described what had happened. They gave me an EKG, ask me some questions, told me they had no idea what was wrong and sent me home. I received a $16 bill which i figured was some kind of co pay.

A few days later they pains were back, I went to a local place that required no reservation, they gave me a simple blood test, found blood in my urine, asked some questions told me I had small kidney stones, gave me some antibiotics some pain killers and sent me home all for around $90 and 4 days or so later i passed the stones and was fine.

I thought that was the end of things until a few weeks ago a manager asked me about it, I told him I had gone to see another doctor, had a kidney stone but all was ok now. Well today I get a message from the company saying they will not pay the bill so the health care provider is now asking me to pay some silly amount including the cost of an EKG that should never have been given in the first place.

Am I liable for these costs? Is there any chance I could fight this and not pay?

Thanks for any information you can give.

[Tuffy]

If you have private insurance, then I would think it would revert to that. as it was not WC related. I would call where you were first treated and give them your insurance info. If no private insurance you are probably out of luck and responsable for the bill, As they did preform an exam and service.

[tiggoone]

Tuffy Wrote:If you have private insurance, then I would think it would revert to that. as it was not WC related. I would call where you were first treated and give them your insurance info

No, I have not had personal insurance for a little over a year now.

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

If thought to need Medical care right away, your employer done you a favor, showing they cared about you. Meaning one way or the other, this whole thing was going to take place, somehow, or somewhere. Make payments and be done with it. Be glad your employer cared about you.

[bodybuilder1958]

Hi,
This is a double edged sword, you don't have medical insurance, you collapsed at work and your company stepped in, sent you for medical care and now you're liable. Understand your companies position here, if they hadn't called an ambulance and if the hospital hadn't done the tests that they did and you left without getting care and something happened you could sue.
I understand your position, I'd get in contact with the hospital and the other businesses involved in this. Negotiate a price and then set up payments. Negotiate the price now don't wait for them to come after you. You could probably knock off upwards of 75% of the costs by negotiating with them.
I needed a cortisone shot, cost $285 plus the doctor's visit (what they would bill my insurance ), I negotiated it down to $139, full cost. By being upfront and stating that I would pay in cash upfront.
Take care,
Joan