I refer to some payment related complications/disagreements I have had regarding gap payments to a
surgical team who I would never have hired had I known they would charge me approximately $6000 in 'gap fees'.
In the beginning of March 2014 I was placed under emergency care at Gosford Public Hospital on the Central Coast of NSW. This was due to ongoing severe headaches, loss of memory, an inability to read and
write properly, as well as speech impediments. These symptoms had been getting gradually worse over the course of several months.
I was given a CT Scan at the Gosford Public Hospital and it was determined by the emergency team that I either had a large tumour in my brain or that I had a serious and large abscess. The chances of survival were not great and my partner (A [surname redacted]) was informed. She was told the news was bad, very bad.
Note: I was not aware of any of these matters - A dealt with them - I was literally 'out of my mind' due to what turned out to be a brain abscess and was being treated with large doses of morphine (or something similar) to stop the pain.
According to A, the emergency staff gave her two choices: send me to Sydney's Royal North Shore Public Hospital or Sydney's North Shore Private hospital - Gosford Public Hospital did not have the expertise to deal with my problem. She was advised by emergency personnel at Gosford Public Hospital that since we had private health cover with BUPA she should send me to the private hospital.
A was not made aware of any gap payments that might be payable, nor did she even know that such a thing existed - and when I arrived at the private hospital we paid the excess we were expected to pay ($500) and were not informed that further money would have to paid to the surgical team (A. even asked if there were any other fees and she was told by the private hospital staff 'not to worry about it'. Talking to A since the operation, she tells me she assumed that Medicare and BUPA would cover the payments since nobody told her otherwise.
I spend two weeks in the private hospital where I had a craniotomy and it was determined I had a "Nocardial brain abscess" (see Nocardial brain abscess. - PubMed - NCBI).
After the craniotomy I recovered and shortly after started receiving bills from the various surgical team members (1 bill from each member).
Medicare and BUPA have paid about one third of the sum I was invoiced - but the surgical team want full payment - even though I explained, in writing, my inability to pay because I work part-time and only make a small income (approximately $35K per year) and have no assets (not even a car). I also stated the following in a letter I sent them:
" It is my strong belief that it is UNETHICAL to charge people any amount where no preliminary estimate is made available to them, and agreed to, before services are provided. Therefore I feel no moral obligation to pay any amounts charged above and beyond what Medicare and BUPA paid.
Had A or I known in advance what charges were not covered by our healthcare plans, we would have insisted on treatment in a public hospital. Our current financial situation would have deemed that the only sensible choice."
Note: The surgical team's bills have been addressed to me, not my partner.
How do you advise that I proceed should they decide to continue harassing me for payment? (Which to-date they have done, especially the anaesthesiologist, [redacted by moderator])
Regards.
surgical team who I would never have hired had I known they would charge me approximately $6000 in 'gap fees'.
In the beginning of March 2014 I was placed under emergency care at Gosford Public Hospital on the Central Coast of NSW. This was due to ongoing severe headaches, loss of memory, an inability to read and
write properly, as well as speech impediments. These symptoms had been getting gradually worse over the course of several months.
I was given a CT Scan at the Gosford Public Hospital and it was determined by the emergency team that I either had a large tumour in my brain or that I had a serious and large abscess. The chances of survival were not great and my partner (A [surname redacted]) was informed. She was told the news was bad, very bad.
Note: I was not aware of any of these matters - A dealt with them - I was literally 'out of my mind' due to what turned out to be a brain abscess and was being treated with large doses of morphine (or something similar) to stop the pain.
According to A, the emergency staff gave her two choices: send me to Sydney's Royal North Shore Public Hospital or Sydney's North Shore Private hospital - Gosford Public Hospital did not have the expertise to deal with my problem. She was advised by emergency personnel at Gosford Public Hospital that since we had private health cover with BUPA she should send me to the private hospital.
A was not made aware of any gap payments that might be payable, nor did she even know that such a thing existed - and when I arrived at the private hospital we paid the excess we were expected to pay ($500) and were not informed that further money would have to paid to the surgical team (A. even asked if there were any other fees and she was told by the private hospital staff 'not to worry about it'. Talking to A since the operation, she tells me she assumed that Medicare and BUPA would cover the payments since nobody told her otherwise.
I spend two weeks in the private hospital where I had a craniotomy and it was determined I had a "Nocardial brain abscess" (see Nocardial brain abscess. - PubMed - NCBI).
After the craniotomy I recovered and shortly after started receiving bills from the various surgical team members (1 bill from each member).
Medicare and BUPA have paid about one third of the sum I was invoiced - but the surgical team want full payment - even though I explained, in writing, my inability to pay because I work part-time and only make a small income (approximately $35K per year) and have no assets (not even a car). I also stated the following in a letter I sent them:
" It is my strong belief that it is UNETHICAL to charge people any amount where no preliminary estimate is made available to them, and agreed to, before services are provided. Therefore I feel no moral obligation to pay any amounts charged above and beyond what Medicare and BUPA paid.
Had A or I known in advance what charges were not covered by our healthcare plans, we would have insisted on treatment in a public hospital. Our current financial situation would have deemed that the only sensible choice."
Note: The surgical team's bills have been addressed to me, not my partner.
How do you advise that I proceed should they decide to continue harassing me for payment? (Which to-date they have done, especially the anaesthesiologist, [redacted by moderator])
Regards.
