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BEWARE FISHERMEN'S HOSPITAL, Marathon Florida
The following was posted verbatim on
http://www.ripoffreport.com on June 22, 2008
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On Feb 1, 2008, I presented to the Emergency Department of Fisherman's
Hospital, at 3301 Overseas Hwy, Marathon FL, 33050. I was in severe pain, and
had been suffering for about 5 days with left flank pain. By the way, I am a
licensed medical practitioner, as a Physician Assistant, and am in otherwise
good health. I was 60 ½ years old at the time, and take no regular medications,
do not have high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Occasionally I take
albuterol inhaler for allergic type asthma. I have a catastrophic only type
health insurance, and am required to pay a high deductible.
I checked in to the E.R. at 05:05 hours, and was seen fairly quickly by the
doctor. The doctor was Dr. Lawrence Goldschlager M.D. He took a history,
examined me briefly, then ordered lab tests, Xrays, and CT scans, drug and
alcohol screens (Both of these tests returned negative), without discussing any
options or diagnostic rule outs. Such options as ultrasound to look for aortic
aneurysm, and an EKG to rule out ischemic heart disease were not offered.
Another option was to 'do nothing' which was also not offered. I was face to
face with him for approximately 15 minutes total. Someone my age, with severe
flank pain, must be proved NOT to have (called ruling out) an aneurysm,
appendicitis, cardiac pain, and hydronephrosis (swelling of the kidney from
blockage.} I was not complaining of nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, trouble
urinating, blood in urine, blood in stool or shortness of breath. I had not had
any alcohol, or narcotics, and was treating myself with Ibuprofen and Naproxen
alternating both, while drinking lots of fluids to try to pass the stone.
I was given an intravenous line of saline, (which my wife started on her first
try after the ER nurse failed on her first attempt) and then a medication for
extreme nausea. (I did not have nausea) Finally I was given some morphine, and
the pain became bearable. The morphine was repeated about an hour later, and I
was discharged from the E.R. at 8:22 A.M. with instructions to see a urologist
for follow up, and given prescriptions for medication for nausea (still didn't
have it), pain, and to relax the ureters and bladder so I might pass the stone
more quickly.
I was given a 'strainer' to strain urine, and a cup to bring any stones gathered
to a doctor for identification of the type of stone. Strainer? $34.85 (available
at ACE hardware, called a paint strainer, 59cents!)
So far so good. It was only on returning home and finding out the hospital
charges, and examining the itemized bill that I began to find things that were
outright wrong, and realized that I had been caught up in a scheme to defraud my
Blue Cross by inflated and outrageous fees for service. Being in medicine, I
have access to the prices of things used everyday in hospitals and clinics. When
I found out what Fisherman's Hospital was charging, along with the fact that no
informed consent was obtained by the hospital for other possible treatments, I
became incensed.
Then to frost the cake, I received 3 separate bills from doctors. The ER
physician, Dr. Goldschlager, charged my insurance $890 for his care, which
included an 'after hours surcharge' like they had to come in specially out of
sound sleep to take care of me. Blue Cross paid him $164,, and he wants $41.17
more from me! The urologist's visit was reasonable, and I am paying him in full
along with my insurance company.
Um, the hospital is open 24/7 folks. The radiologist, (in Alabama, whom I never
met) charged $527 to look at 3 separate studies. Oh ya, when you're in the CT
scanner, they divide your belly up into TWO areas of study, and charged $1424.46
for EACH study done at one time! That plus a plain film of the belly at $308.44.
Mind you none of these radiology studies include the fee for interpretation of
them, and that was done in another state by remote viewing of digital images.
Here is the itemized FIRST BILL,
Date Bat# HCPC Description Qty Amount
2/1/2008 5200 J2270 Morphine Sulfate 1 $ 12.39
5200 J2270 Morphine Sulfate 1 $ 12.39
5200 J7030 Sodium Chloride 1 $ 112.43
1400 Kit IV Start 1 $ 7.17
1400 Kit IV Start 1 $ 7.17
1400 Nasal Cannula 1 $ 2.21
1400 Razor Disposable 1 $ 6.74
1400 Set Continu Flo 1 $ 12.54
1400 CuffB/P Adult D 1 $ 59.26
1400 CuffB/P Adult S 1 $ 22.46
1400 Set Interlink Ex 1 $ 15.34
1400 Set Interlink Ex 1 $ 15.34
1400 Collection Urine 1 $ 6.74
1400 Cath IV Safety 2 1 $ 12.39
1400 Cath IV Safety 2 1 $ 12.39
8 KUB Abd 1 view 1 $ 308.44
8 CT Pelvis w/o con 1 $ 1,424.46
8 CT Abdomen w/o 1 $ 1,424.46
30 Uric Acid Ser/BL 1 $ 76.68
30 Urinalysis Auto 1 $ 97.68
30 Comprehensive ME 1 $ 214.20
30 Venipuncture Rou 1 $ 47.19
30 Drug Screen Urin 1 $ 266.51
30 Alcohol Blood 1 $ 252.82
30 Magnesium 1 $ 87.17
30 Phosphorus 1 $ 73.48
30 CBC Complete Auto 1 $ 88.47
5200 Ondansetron 2mg 1 $ 147.21
6 90775 IV Push EA Addl 1 $ 107.75
6 90775 IV Push EA Addl 1 $ 107.75
6 ER Dept Extensiv 1 $ 557.40
6 IV Infusion Hydr 1 $ 144.70
5 IV Push One/First 1 $ 107.75
6 IV Push EA Addl 1 $ 107.75
5 IV Push EA Addl -1 $ (107.75)
4103 IV Infusion Hydr 1 $ 144.70
FIRST TOTAL BILL $ 5,995.78
Now let us look at this bill.
Morphine, which was the only real treatment given after the expensive ruling out
of the other possible dangers, $12.39 per dose. This drug retails for $1.12 a
dose, so the markup here is over 1000%! Sodium Chloride? (salt water, sterile)
retails for $1.81 for a 1000 ml plastic bag when you buy them by the dozen.
Hospitals must buy this stuff by the semi-trailer load. Charge? $112.43. Cute,
wonder how they got the 43 cents on the end, just to make it look like some bean
counter really figured this one out carefully?
IV start Kit $7.17, retail $1.92; Charged TWICE for a BP Cuff! I guess it is a
rental fee, since the device was certainly NOT disposable. Go down now to the
price for drug screen urine, and Alcohol, Blood. $266.51 and $252.82. That is
$519.33 for two tests that were not even discussed with me or for which informed
consent was given!
Ondansetron 2mg (note the IV medications prices do NOT include the cost of the
nurse shoving the syringe into the IV, those were separated out to $107.75 for
each time I got a drug! So what is this Ondansetron? It is a drug given to ' to
treat and prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). Many times
they are given intravenously about 30 minutes before beginning therapy.
Ondansetron is also effective in controlling post-operative (PONV) and
post-radiation nausea and vomiting, and is a possible therapy for nausea and
vomiting due to acute or chronic medical illness or acute gastroenteritis. (Wikipedia)
Gee, for a drug they're charging me $147.21, when I had no nausea, was not
getting chemotherapy, did not have post-operative nausea or vomiting, and for
which is available generically (they gave the generic) for $1.19 a dose, do you
think they should have discussed this with me?
I found that Fisherman's Hospital is a 'For Profit' hospital, and wrote to the
VP of finances for the parent corporation, HMA, John Merriwether. He forwarded
my email to the CFO at Fishermean's Hospital, and I received a call from Ted
Quinn, who initially agreed to a 25% reduction in my bill. This was before I did
the research to find out what the costs for the multiple items charged to me was
in reality. I initially agreed to this, then changed my mind, and wrote back to
John Merriwether, because I could not remember Mr. Quinn's name. I told him that
the discount was insufficient, and I sent Mr. Merriwether my best and final
offer. I did this after I tallied up the bill, and removed one of the CT scans,
(since the hospital or the Dr. did not gain my consent for ANY of these tests, I
was being generous. I Gave them a 50% markup on the items above, as well as
several other common items, such as IV tubing, a disposable razor, and so forth,
and my Blue Cross had already paid them $2396.62, and offered them a final and
best offer of $1081.95 to make a total for this visit of $3478.57 and sent them
a check. I also sent this notice to Mr. Merriwether:
----email to HMA vp finance, John Merriwether------
Hi John,
I have received no reply to my letter, printouts, and check that I sent you
dated 5/24/08, and before I put a stop payment on that check, ($1081.95) need to
know if it was received or not. If it was received, it has not yet cleared as of
10 minutes ago when I checked my Bank account. If it was not received, I shall
send it to you one more time after stopping payment on the first draft.
If the payment is not accepted as payment in full, my next steps will be:
- Place a stop payment order on this check.
- Not pay any more of this bill, despite any threats to report it to
credit etc.
- Notify Experian, Transunion, and Equifax of the reason for this dispute
- post a report of this whole incident on http://www.ripoffreport.com
including copies of your bills and errors therein, along with the RETAIL
costs of the items you billed me.
- notify Blue Cross Anthem of your billing practices and what I
believe to be usurious markups in fees. I will suggest to them that they
also review your billing and fees in general.
Unfortunately BC Anthem has already paid all but $40 of Dr. Goldschlager's
outrageous fee. He still wants $40, and I will not pay more on that fee. In
fact since they paid him, I will note that on the report too.
regards,
Robert Finlay
---------end email---------
The check I sent them returned today with a letter from Mr. Ted Quinn, CFO
Fisherman’s Hospital, who claims that he wants instead $1835.75 to close
the account. I will now be sending all of this same information to Experian,
Transunion, and Equifax, because I meant what I said in my best and final
offer of payment. If my credit goes sour because of this, so be it.
If Mr. Quinn changes his mind, my best and final offer will be re-sent to
him to close this account.
Robert
Westcliffe, Colorado
U.S.A.
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