Spring Break – Part II

It is very important to carefully examine any and all charges for medical services. This is especially true for hospital billing. Henri was hospitalized for breathing problems. One day, when I visited, he informed me that a physical therapist and an occupational therapist had stopped by to talk to him. Neither Henri nor I understood why physical or occupational therapy would be necessary for a person with Henri’s diagnosis. The physical therapist billed $1,616.00, and the occupational therapist billed $491.20. The physical therapist accompanied Henri on a walk in the hall which had to be halted because she could not find a portable oxygen tank in the hospital for his use! When the occupational therapist learned Henri did not need her services, she gave him a reaching tool with a long handle as a “gift” because she had brought it with her. After Henri received his insurance Explanation of Benefits, he wrote a letter to the hospital billing office questioning these charges. He is awaiting a reply to that correspondence.

One of the many services Henri did receive while in the hospital was a CT body scan for which $3,060.80 was billed. This was done on Monday evening before Henri was admitted to ICU. On Wednesday morning, two nurses came to Henri’s room to take him for a CT body scan. When Henri protested that he already had one, they questioned when the scan was done, where the scan was done, and what the results were. Totally frustrated with the lack of communication among hospital departments, Henri’s response to the last question was, “I don’t interpret CT scans!”

Henri is now doing well. He survived his costly hospital stay of almost $40,000.00 because he was coherent and able to ask questions of the medical staff. A patient unable to communicate because of illness with no family members or friends to intervene can easily become a victim of duplicate and unnecessary services ordered by physicians with no prior knowledge of the patient. We’re all familiar with the expression, “Let the buyer beware.” Maybe we should modify this and also say, “Let the patient beware.”

Henri may want to consider a different Spring Break destination next year!