This book recently came out by an investigative journalist who studied the healthcare system and it helps guide people to fight the healthcare system: https://www.amazon.com/Never-Pay-First-Bill-Health/dp/0593190009/ref=sr\_1\_1?dchild=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw\_8mHBhClARIsABfFgpgewNPh\_j6dhn8AT51xnt\_jJTN7cGrsfkzyoIGa37Hhcq2H3YhbBfIaAjAoEALw\_wcB&hvadid=499768193925&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9018...
This book has come up in conversations here. Sitting on my to-read pile but looks like it's written for exactly the scenario you describe.
Years ago ran into similar case. Insurer authorized service. Went through with service based on that authorization. Then afterward insurance said no nevermind and passed along the bill. Wouldn't discuss or negotiate reasonably. Documentation pointed at something unrelated in a medical record which was out of context for the doctor short hand chicken-scratch on the file. Years later DOJ came down hard on the insurer over the issue but not until after discharging debt through letting it go to credit. Got it wiped from credit after DOJ came down on them.
Ran into this with miscoded billing for services not covered without prior insurance approval. Hospital administratively dropped the ball and did not connect with insurance. First awareness of the issue is a bill from the hospital.
Path to correct this was no contact with the hospital. Went directly to insurance and informed them of the surprise. Disagreed with the billing and asked next steps to resolve the issue. Insurance took over from here and entered discussion with the hospital billing. Somewhere some administrative desk at the insurance company worked with some administrative desk at the hospital. Two of them went back and forth for a few months. Then dropped the billing and covered it by insurance with correct coverage.
For more complicated billing issues note there is a book out there for negotiating with medical billing. "Never Pay the First Bill".
The healthcare system has been monetize for years in a captured congress. Ready Marshall Allan’s book “Never pay the first bill” - how to negotiate and get less screwed by financial toxicity of the hc system. https://www.amazon.com/Never-Pay-First-Bill-Health/dp/0593190009
​
I know I'm late to this and maybe you've already found a solution, but there' s book called "Never pay the first bill" you can find it on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Never-Pay-First-Bill-Health/dp/0593190009
You'd be shocked at the shenanningans that hospitals and urgent care facilities will pull with bills. And since most people are just used to paying the invoice, they get away with it.
Don't pay it before you get all your options.
You can also check prices for that same service on **[FairHealthConsumer.org](https://www.fairhealthconsumer.org/)** and basically force them to charge you the standard, accepted rate.
Fuck these crooks!
I'm just going to leave this here for no reason at all.
There's a book called "Never Pay The First Bill" on Amazon that might help
https://www.amazon.com/Never-Pay-First-Bill-Health/dp/0593190009
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/7/16851134/rabies-treament-expensive-emergency-room
You definitely want the first shot ASAP. That is what is crucial to stopping the infection fro spreading if you have it. See if you can call around to price out the followup shots. Perhaps check surrounding states too. Worst case you bite the bullet for $1581 and negotiate the likely billing errors away and reach out to the hospital's social worker about the rest of the copay. There is a book called Never Pay the First Bill which may be useful for you. https://www.amazon.com/Never-Pay-First-Bill-Health/dp/0593190009
Buy a book: Never pay the first bill https://www.amazon.com/Never-Pay-First-Bill-Health/dp/0593190009
life changing and empowering to finally stop this healthcare profiteering on human health.
Read his stuff (obviously not his book right this minute) https://www.amazon.com/Never-Pay-First-Bill-Health/dp/0593190009
I've fortunately not had to use this, but this book has been referenced, as a good way to lower medical bills.
First thing is, you and every one here has to agree that if a consumer asks "How much is this?" or "How much will I have to pay?" then the answer cannot be "You pay $50" and then later the consumer receives a bill for $400 because that is dishonest. It is theft. It is brazenly criminal and no one should meekly pay the bill.
https://www.amazon.com/Never-Pay-First-Bill-Health/dp/0593190009 - "From award-winning ProPublica reporter Marshall Allen, a
primer for anyone who wants to fight the predatory health care
system--and win.Every year, millions of Americans are
overcharged and underserved while the health care industry makes record
profits. We know something is wrong, but the layers of bureaucracy
designed to discourage complaints make pushing back seem impossible. At
least, this is what the health care power players want you to think.Never Pay the First Bill
is the guerilla guide to health care the American people and employers
need. Drawing on 15 years of investigating the health care industry,
reporter Marshall Allen shows how companies and individuals have managed
to force medical providers to play fair, and shows how you can, too. He
reveals the industry's pressure points and how companies and
individuals have fought overbilling, price gouging, insurance denials,
and more to get the care they deserve."
Never Pay The First Bill
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593190009/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_3GAY9J2XB29E3W9HYJTD
This book is all about this kind of thing. https://www.amazon.com/Never-Pay-First-Bill-Health/dp/0593190009
This book might help. It is written by a long-time health care journalist: https://www.amazon.com/Never-Pay-First-Bill-Health/dp/0593190009
Need to read this book.
What were they X-raying?
https://www.amazon.com/Never-Pay-First-Bill-Health/dp/0593190009/