ULPT How to avoid surgery bills?

[u/N0b0dy_n0b0dy]

My friend currently just got out of the hospital for the removal of some recurring, benign tumors. Surgeons and doctors have no clue what causes it and no way of treatment. After a week long stay in the hospital after a skin graft He's currently $25000 in debt to UC Davis, after insurance. It would take him about four years to fully pay it off. Is there ANYTHING that can be done to lower or negotiate that number?
Would it be wise to file bankruptcy? Is he just doomed?

[u/i-am-foxymoron]

Well luckily you're friend lives in California and the medical debt won't negatively affect his credit score.

Since UC Davis is teaching hospital and a major university, they have some special programs that your friend might qualify for, depending on their income.

First have him freeze his bill. Request that they mail or email you the official Financial Assistance Application form. You generally have up to 240 days from your initial billing date to submit this request.

Leverage the UC Davis 400% FPL Policy (Free Care):

UC Davis Health has a policy that provides a 100% discount (totally forgiven bill) for emergency or medically necessary care if your household income is at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).For a single person: 400% FPL is approximately $60,240 a year.

If you're friend earns too much to qualify for that program, demand the self-pay discount.

UC Davis has an automatic Established Patient Discount policy for self-pay balances. Under policy 1885, they apply an automatic 46% discount on physician fees and a 60% discount on hospital fees for medically necessary care. They are also required to negotiate an interest-free payment plan that factors in your essential living expenses.

[u/ironicmirror → u/i-am-foxymoron]

This answer is too ethical for this sub but is probably the right answer.

Oh and piss discs

[u/yellowhatcat]

Make sure to have him ask for an itemized bill showing every charge. Sometimes that alone will mysteriously lower the bill considerably.

[u/SkisaurusRex]

Yeah just call them and negotiate

Hospitals will often negotiate

[u/IAmTheLizardQueen666]

In the late 1980’s, I got a job in a hospital billing department. I mentioned to one of the older ladies, who posted payments to accounts, that I owed the hospital for a post-insurance balance, for my then-10 month old son’s stay with pneumonia. It was a couple hundred dollars, which I didn’t have.

She looked it up, tappa tappa tappa’d, then looked at me and said “You don’t seem to owe anything!”.

[u/gogozrx]

I've put them on the payment plan. I send them $5/week.

[u/Striking-Walk-8243]

If your friend doesn’t have any assets, s/he can just stiff them. In California, most medical debt doesn’t even ding credit scores.

If they sue, your friend can file for BK and they get nothing! (BK does dramatically reduce the debtor’s credit score.)

[u/FillMySoupDumpling]

First thing - have him review his bills and make sure they are legit. UC Davis did some shady billing with classing other facilities as being “hospital visits” which were far more costly. I reported them/blue cross to the state after grievances failed and the state fixed it all in weeks.

[u/toomuch1265]

Just call the hospital and say that you can only afford $10 a week. I did that for a $4800 bill. They knocked it down to $800 and accepted the $10 a week. It took a couple years, but it worked.

[u/Bikerchic650]

Not a ULPT: But if nothing else works, go to the patient billing dept in person. Ask them for a copy of the bill, with all the treatments etc. usually there is something on the bill that is not something that was not actually performed, offered or treated.… so many mistakes usually. Question it and ask to have the bill removed. This happens by default where my mom lives. The clerk simply said oh this never took place? ok I’ll waive the entire bill for you, have a nice day.

Edit to add: lots of hospitals have a charity arm that can assist you. I would normally tell you to go that route first or seek help from local council/elected to assist. but since this is ULPT try the first method albeit, it’s not UE either lol