You can alter your financial agreements at the emergency room to include "The Battlefield Consent." Write it in to protect yourself from being overcharged.
I went to the hospital registration desk and said "I don't need any health care today, but I would like to get copies of the consent forms to read so that I understand what they mean before a crisis strikes." They cheerfully supplied the printouts. The form read: "I assign to _____[hospital] the right to receive payment ... from the following sources: from insurance..., from my own money, estate, or other funds to which I am entitled." I asked them if I could cross out the word "estate." They said no. I said "What if I allowed you to have all my money but not my house?" They said I cannot make that stipulation.
I said "I am uncomfortable with the phrase: 'I assign to ____[hospital] the *right* to receive my money.' Could I write in the margin 'I am *not* forfeiting any rights granted to me by the state or federal government?'" They said no. After a few more questions they finally told me: "When you sign this form, It's ALL or NOTHING. You cannot change anything written there, period."
When the time comes that I check in for actual care, should I ignore their protests and write statements in the margin anyway? In non-emergencies, could they turn me away for doing so? Advice please.
Hi Marie - I love that you did this and that you are asking them great questions. And their answers are quite alarming! The federal law called EMTALA (I think the acronym is for the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act) says that hospitals are required to provide emergency care to patients regardless of their ability to pay. So if it's a medical emergency, they have to provide the care you need whether you sign a document, or not. If it's not an emergency, then they can turn patients away at their discretion. I suggest revising the document, but if they don't allow you to revise it, some people I know say you can always sign the dotted line with "Declined to Sign" or "Signed Under Duress" or something else when they hand you that electronic document. They don't check those signatures anyway, and my signature is quite honestly so sloppy that no one could read it. So that might be a solution for you. I hope this helps. I'd love to use this question in a future newsletter. Would you mind emailing me so I can talk to you about it? My email address is marshall@marshallallen.com. Thank you for your question!
Hello, I wanted to check what the outcome was of your son altering his forms? Did the provider except the forms? What amount did he ended up paying? Did the bill get sent to collections, or did insurance help pay some of the bill?
Hello, I wanted to check what the outcome was of your son altering his forms? Did the provider except the forms? What amount did he ended up paying? Did the bill get sent to collections, or did insurance help some of the bill?
Hello, I wanted to check what the outcome was of your son altering his forms? Did the provider except the forms? What amount did he ended up paying? Did the bill get sent to collections, or did insurance help some of the bill?
Hello, I wanted to check what the outcome was of your son altering his forms? Did the provider except the forms? What amount did he ended up paying? Did the bill get sent to collections, or did insurance help some of the bill?
I altered my paperwork in the emergency room using the battlefield consent language above. Now the hospital is telling me they cannot change the price I'm being billed because of my insurance and has threatened to send my bill to collections. What recourse do I have?
Hi Nate - Good job using the battlefield consent. Now it sounds like you'll need to hold them to it. I go through the various steps to fight a bogus medical bill in my book and health literacy videos (www.allenhealthacademy.com). You'll need to call the billing department and explain to them that you're also a party to the agreement and you set a limit on what you're agreeing to pay - regardless of their contact with their insurance company. So they will need to give you a discount. Feel free to email me at neverpay@marshallallen.com if you need assistance.
I went to the hospital registration desk and said "I don't need any health care today, but I would like to get copies of the consent forms to read so that I understand what they mean before a crisis strikes." They cheerfully supplied the printouts. The form read: "I assign to _____[hospital] the right to receive payment ... from the following sources: from insurance..., from my own money, estate, or other funds to which I am entitled." I asked them if I could cross out the word "estate." They said no. I said "What if I allowed you to have all my money but not my house?" They said I cannot make that stipulation.
I said "I am uncomfortable with the phrase: 'I assign to ____[hospital] the *right* to receive my money.' Could I write in the margin 'I am *not* forfeiting any rights granted to me by the state or federal government?'" They said no. After a few more questions they finally told me: "When you sign this form, It's ALL or NOTHING. You cannot change anything written there, period."
When the time comes that I check in for actual care, should I ignore their protests and write statements in the margin anyway? In non-emergencies, could they turn me away for doing so? Advice please.
Hi Marie - I love that you did this and that you are asking them great questions. And their answers are quite alarming! The federal law called EMTALA (I think the acronym is for the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act) says that hospitals are required to provide emergency care to patients regardless of their ability to pay. So if it's a medical emergency, they have to provide the care you need whether you sign a document, or not. If it's not an emergency, then they can turn patients away at their discretion. I suggest revising the document, but if they don't allow you to revise it, some people I know say you can always sign the dotted line with "Declined to Sign" or "Signed Under Duress" or something else when they hand you that electronic document. They don't check those signatures anyway, and my signature is quite honestly so sloppy that no one could read it. So that might be a solution for you. I hope this helps. I'd love to use this question in a future newsletter. Would you mind emailing me so I can talk to you about it? My email address is marshall@marshallallen.com. Thank you for your question!
Can you use this technique if you don't have Quizzify's services?
Yes! Anybody can do this.
Way to go, Ashton! I will follow these practical steps for future ER visits. Glad there was no serious health problem in this case!
Hello, I wanted to check what the outcome was of your son altering his forms? Did the provider except the forms? What amount did he ended up paying? Did the bill get sent to collections, or did insurance help pay some of the bill?
Hello, I wanted to check what the outcome was of your son altering his forms? Did the provider except the forms? What amount did he ended up paying? Did the bill get sent to collections, or did insurance help some of the bill?
Hello, I wanted to check what the outcome was of your son altering his forms? Did the provider except the forms? What amount did he ended up paying? Did the bill get sent to collections, or did insurance help some of the bill?
Hello, I wanted to check what the outcome was of your son altering his forms? Did the provider except the forms? What amount did he ended up paying? Did the bill get sent to collections, or did insurance help some of the bill?
I altered my paperwork in the emergency room using the battlefield consent language above. Now the hospital is telling me they cannot change the price I'm being billed because of my insurance and has threatened to send my bill to collections. What recourse do I have?
Hi Nate - Good job using the battlefield consent. Now it sounds like you'll need to hold them to it. I go through the various steps to fight a bogus medical bill in my book and health literacy videos (www.allenhealthacademy.com). You'll need to call the billing department and explain to them that you're also a party to the agreement and you set a limit on what you're agreeing to pay - regardless of their contact with their insurance company. So they will need to give you a discount. Feel free to email me at neverpay@marshallallen.com if you need assistance.