Donna Smith (of "SiCKO"): Healthcare Horror: Care Denied Over $7 Debt for Insured Patient

Published on Monday, June 29, 2009 by CommonDreams.org

Healthcare Horror: Care Denied Over $7 Debt for Insured Patient
by Donna Smith


OK, if this wasn't personal enough just yet for me, it just got a whole lot more so. And if you think for one instant that in this nation at this point in history and with this popularly elected President and Democratic Congress you will be treated for a heart attack simply because you might die if you are not treated, think again. And if you think having insurance helps, think some more.
On Friday, my husband was denied a blood test because a computer record from some distant time past and some other state showed he had a $7 balance with LabCorp. I am not making this up.

My husband had a heart attack this week. He woke up one morning sweating profusely and with a heart rate dropping. I watched his color turn first ruddy then ashen, and then he felt as though he was going to pass out. He would not allow me to call 911 as he slowly began to feel sick to his stomach and he believed his symptoms were digestive rather than cardiac.

We have learned over the years to wait to seek care - it is expensive to do otherwise and dooms us to the endless loop of bills and collection notices and more damage to our already badly bruised credit rating. So we always wait to seek care until there seems to be no other option. We are not alone. Millions of Americans do the same. We do not want to use the emergency rooms or doctors' offices. We don't want anything to do with the whole mess.

We moved to Maryland in March, but have fought Humana insurance and Medicare transfer since then to even make sure my husband can get any care at all. And, by God, we were paying the premiums the whole time the insurance folks hemmed and hawed and stalled. It took three months to get that all straightened out, during which time they repeated over and over, "we're not denying treatment," and technically I suppose they weren't as they want us all just to get out our checkbooks and debit cards and pay up. And in the meantime, my husband waited for any doctors' appointment and got meds by calling back to Chicago to get prescriptions refilled. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/06/29-6

Not that LabCorp said 'hey, you owe us $7, no blood draw for you.' I believe that, it's wrong and stupid. But he went back to the doctor's office and nobody would stump up the seven bucks, which he happened not to have with him? The man doesn't have a debit card, or if he wife handles the finances, he didn't call her and get her to do the transfer over the phone?

'He did not have $7 with him. He was fasting.' I'm sorry, I don't see the connection. I don't leave my wallet or cellphone behind when I'm fasting, or forget my other half's phone number. Something about this just does not add up.

'One doctor's office, another doctor's office, one insurance company and finally a lab - all worked together to make what they could individually off my husband and then ultimately denied his care for $7.' But per the story itself, Mr Smith was seen by a primary care doctor, an EKG technician and a cardiologist before going to get his blood drawn. I fail to see why/how they are to blame for LabCorp refusing to perform a blood draw.

Frankly, as I read the full article I went from being outraged to skeptical.

But it seems perfectly plausible to me. After all, I just spent two years fighting with my insurance company to get them to pay for an MRI.

It seems like you read only the title and not the contents.