The Observation Deck

Got a bill from the City of Lakewood for their ambulance service to transport my daughter to the Lakewood ER. $456 for a ride down a couple blocks.

Few days later, got the bill from Lakewood ER....$2,636.

Now I know medical service isn't "cheap" anywhere, but this is just crazy. I'm waiting on the itemized bill from the hospital before I even attempt to pay since a number of people have told me how they've been billed for items/services that weren't even given.

It's no wonder there's a healthcare crisis.

Dee Krupp wrote:Got a bill from the City of Lakewood for their ambulance service to transport my daughter to the Lakewood ER. $456 for a ride down a couple blocks.

Few days later, got the bill from Lakewood ER....$2,636.

Now I know medical service isn't "cheap" anywhere, but this is just crazy. I'm waiting on the itemized bill from the hospital before I even attempt to pay since a number of people have told me how they've been billed for items/services that weren't even given.

It's no wonder there's a healthcare crisis.

Years ago my cousin got a $12,000 invoice from a hospital for gall bladder surgery. He thought that was a little high so he asked for an itemized bill. He was told that the itemization hadn't been prepared yet. He responded with the question: "If you don't have the items that make up the total of the invoice how did you come up with an invoice total?" The hospital eventually settled for $8,000.

The last time I looked Lakewood EMS was responding to about 5,000 calls per year. At $456 a trip that would bring in about $2.3 million a year. I think they collected about $400,000(?). Offer $90.

Of course when I first saw 5,000 Lakewood EMS calls per year that seemed like a lot of calls. 10% of the population using the EMS every year? I guess it's cheaper than a taxi.

Some people blame insurance companies for the cost of insurance. I blame the hospitals. Of course your insurance company's allowed amount might only be $1,200 for the emergency room, an amount the hospital would accept as payment in full.

If you don't have insurance and pay for the treatment out of pocket you have to pay the full $2,636. If the hospital writes off the $2,636 because you don't have the money then it counts as $2,636 in "non reimbursed care given to the community".

I may or may not be meeting with some officials of Lakewood Hospital for an article that may or may not ever be written that may or may not ever be published. If you have any questions that you would like answered list them here or send the question via private message; I may or may not ask them your question.

City of Lakewood EMS Fact Check:

In 2006, there were 3,825 EMS Transports, in which $1.291 million was billed on behalf of the City and $955,900 was collected, or a collection rate of 74%.

Of that was billed, 43% was covered by Medicare, 38% by private insurance, 14% covered by Medicaid, and 5% self-insurance.

The City of Lakewood's EMS service does not receive any support from the General Fund (i.e. taxes), but is supported by the revenue generated by the medical care provided on EMS runs, and the Lakewood Hospital Lease.

Dee, I hope your daughter is okay.

I do have insurance, but with a very high deductible. Now it's met...nothing like meeting a deductible in December! The 2nd hospital she was transferred to tried to get me to pay the $2,800 bill before they even attempted to submit it to the insurance company. That p*ssed me off. I'll only have to pay 10% of that one, but if I believed what they told me, I would've end up paying more than I had to.

No, that EMS bill is hardly cheaper than a taxi. It only costs about $10-$15 to get the airport from what I remember. Unfortunately, the circumstances required EMS.

I can't wait for the itemization. There's 10 different laboratory charges on my insurance EOB. I can't wait to find out what they tested for. I would also like to know the results. I wonder how many hoops I have to jump through for that info??

I don't pay the bill and it ends up in collections on my credit report. And Lakewood Hospital is quick to send it there. They want high monthly payments, but they get what they get when I have it.

I blame the hospitals and doctors too. I'm sure the bills will still be coming. The ER doctor bill separately. We saw him for maybe two 5 minute sessions in the five hours we were there. I guesstimate at least $500 for him.

No, I don't have any questions for the hospital since you probably wouldn't ask them anyway

Jennifer Pae wrote: Dee, I hope your daughter is okay.

She is now, thanks Jennifer.

And since the Lakewood ER bill went through my insurance first, I'll only have to pay 10% of the EMS bill, but I still think the total fee is outrageous.

Dee,

that is why my parents always filled out Fairview Hospital on our emergency sheets for school. (just in case something were to happen).

Now that we have good health insurance through my dad, it helps. I just worry and wonder about those that don't have any health insurance whatsoever.

Oh and hospitals in general will try to sneak in charges for things like towels at $100 or rubber gloves at $50, I remember seeing it on the National News a few times. You just have to actually take the time to read the bill, know what you're paying for and what the insurance covers, and so on.


You can always call your insurance company to double check bills, it never hurts to do it. A trip to the ER and two nights in LH didn't cost us anything, but it cost the insurance company some change.

next time just call a cab.

if worse comes to worse, ask the neighbors to borrow their wheel barrel.

I notice on the bills the insurance company negotiates a lower rate with the provider. Since the insurance company is a middleman, the only justification for this is that it is more likely the provider could collect from the insurance company than an uninsured patient. However, if patients(or their employers) didn't have to pay high premiums they would probably be able to afford the actual bills directly.

I mean, i don't have insurance that pays for the maintenance and repair of my vehicle. Car salesmen don't increase the sales price of a car for people with poor credit or no car replacement insurance.

ryan costa wrote:next time just call a cab.

if worse comes to worse, ask the neighbors to borrow their wheel barrel.

I have a car, and I can drive...the situation warranted a call to EMS.

When a life is at stake or when someone is in danger I think it's best to call the EMS crews. there are millions of complications that can occur (without asking what the problem was) and calling an ambulance is the safest thing to do.

you can't put a financial value on a life.

Dee,
I hear you. We drove our son it Lakewood ER. It situation was not life threatening, just stitches. We waited 2 hours with a bleeding child. It took 45min and some lobbying to get him some pain meds. Then we got the bill $14.00 for 1.5oz Ibuprofen. The total for 3 stitches was $750.00. Thank you Lakewood's #1 employer. I will put my own stitches in from now on. Good Luck.

When fell on a wet floor at work (VA Hospital), I went to employee heath and was X-ray'd and told I had broken my knee. Because I am not a veteran and can't get care from the VA, I was told to go to my local ER to get crutches and a knee immobilizer. They gave me pain pills and a copy of my X-rays.

Went to Lakewood hospital and waited 7 hours, yes, seven hours for them to hold my X-rays up to the light box and give me crutches and a knee immobilizer. Work-men's Comp got the bill.

I had a great experience at Lakewood hospital when my son was born, but their ER is the pits!

Joe Whisman wrote:Dee,
I hear you. We drove our son it Lakewood ER. It situation was not life threatening, just stitches. We waited 2 hours with a bleeding child. It took 45min and some lobbying to get him some pain meds. Then we got the bill $14.00 for 1.5oz Ibuprofen. The total for 3 stitches was $750.00. Thank you Lakewood's #1 employer. I will put my own stitches in from now on. Good Luck.

That beats my son's 3 stitches from his trip to the Steubenville ER while he was on a church mission trip over the summer. That total was $550. While $550 is still an exhorbitant amount....$750 is just ridiculous.

Ivor... is Fairview Hosp. much cheaper?? Has your family had similar services from both hospitals and noticed a big difference in fees?

Then we got the bill $14.00 for 1.5oz Ibuprofen.

Actually, the cost of the Ibuprofen is only $0.04, however the cost for malpractice insurance just in case you swallow the little paper cup it comes in is $13.96

I had stitches when I was a kid, when it came time for them to come out, my mom called to make an appointment. When she found out what the charge would be, she hung up the phone and told me to take them out myself.

I thought the ER was the strong point of the Hospital.