Paying Cash at Urgent Care
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I know I mentioned in a previous thread that my wife and I recently moved to a HSN (Healthcare Sharing Network) called Samaritan Ministries. The idea is you are supposed to cover up to $300 in medical bills on your own and can submit a need to the group if you end up with a bill higher than that.
It looks like today will be the first day we explore this new avenue. My daughter (6 years old) has a badly infected cuticle on her toe. We've tried peroxide and a few other treatments, but the infection is not getting better.
I'm wondering how much to expect to pay at urgent care up front. Can anyone share their experience with self-pay at a place like this? I was going to call them and ask before I take her this afternoon but wanted to get some feedback from others. I realize I should know more about what I got myself into by now, but alas, I am unprepared.
I'm in Texas (Dallas / Fort Worth area) by the way.
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@Minion-Queen may have a better answer. I know around here one of the providers won't take uninsured at the urgent care facilities and instead pushes them to the emergency room.
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I'm in MIdland/Odessa area of Texas, When I went to the urgent care before I had insurance it was usually around $200.
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@brianlittlejohn said:
I'm in MIdland/Odessa area of Texas, When I went to the urgent care before I had insurance it was usually around $200.
Damn, compare that to using the ER here for $7!!
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For a toe, consider a flight to Mexico City. You might get a free trip to Mexico purely out of the cost of health care savings.
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For me here in Western NY it costs me about $165 but that is just for the service fee doesn't cover any procedures beyond looking for ear infections sinus infections etc. If you have anything beyond that done all of that is extra.
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@Minion-Queen said:
For me here in Western NY it costs me about $165 but that is just for the service fee doesn't cover any procedures beyond looking for ear infections sinus infections etc. If you have anything beyond that done all of that is extra.
Yep - that's about what they told me when I called a few minutes ago. And I have no clue what to expect a procedure like draining the puss / fluid from a kid's toe to cost. They couldn't tell me either (or just plain wouldn't).
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I would guess it would be at least another $300-$500 (and that might be really low).
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@NetworkNerd said:
Yep - that's about what they told me when I called a few minutes ago. And I have no clue what to expect a procedure like draining the puss / fluid from a kid's toe to cost. They couldn't tell me either (or just plain wouldn't).
Yup, wouldn't. They can't make their money if they agree to a price.
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@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
Yep - that's about what they told me when I called a few minutes ago. And I have no clue what to expect a procedure like draining the puss / fluid from a kid's toe to cost. They couldn't tell me either (or just plain wouldn't).
Yup, wouldn't. They can't make their money if they agree to a price.
The good news is I was able to get here worked in at her pediatrician's office. The visit is only $84 (not nearly as hefty), and they will bill us for the rest. I'm not sure what that will be, but at least I don't have to pay an unknown amount up front.
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@NetworkNerd said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
Yep - that's about what they told me when I called a few minutes ago. And I have no clue what to expect a procedure like draining the puss / fluid from a kid's toe to cost. They couldn't tell me either (or just plain wouldn't).
Yup, wouldn't. They can't make their money if they agree to a price.
The good news is I was able to get here worked in at her pediatrician's office. The visit is only $84 (not nearly as hefty), and they will bill us for the rest. I'm not sure what that will be, but at least I don't have to pay an unknown amount up front.
But you still have to pay an unknown amount.
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@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
Yep - that's about what they told me when I called a few minutes ago. And I have no clue what to expect a procedure like draining the puss / fluid from a kid's toe to cost. They couldn't tell me either (or just plain wouldn't).
Yup, wouldn't. They can't make their money if they agree to a price.
The good news is I was able to get here worked in at her pediatrician's office. The visit is only $84 (not nearly as hefty), and they will bill us for the rest. I'm not sure what that will be, but at least I don't have to pay an unknown amount up front.
But you still have to pay an unknown amount.
Only up to $300.
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@johnhooks said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
Yep - that's about what they told me when I called a few minutes ago. And I have no clue what to expect a procedure like draining the puss / fluid from a kid's toe to cost. They couldn't tell me either (or just plain wouldn't).
Yup, wouldn't. They can't make their money if they agree to a price.
The good news is I was able to get here worked in at her pediatrician's office. The visit is only $84 (not nearly as hefty), and they will bill us for the rest. I'm not sure what that will be, but at least I don't have to pay an unknown amount up front.
But you still have to pay an unknown amount.
Only up to $300.
How does that work? Am I missing something?
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@scottalanmiller said:
@johnhooks said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
Yep - that's about what they told me when I called a few minutes ago. And I have no clue what to expect a procedure like draining the puss / fluid from a kid's toe to cost. They couldn't tell me either (or just plain wouldn't).
Yup, wouldn't. They can't make their money if they agree to a price.
The good news is I was able to get here worked in at her pediatrician's office. The visit is only $84 (not nearly as hefty), and they will bill us for the rest. I'm not sure what that will be, but at least I don't have to pay an unknown amount up front.
But you still have to pay an unknown amount.
Only up to $300.
How does that work? Am I missing something?
The HSN covers after $300.
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@johnhooks said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@johnhooks said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
Yep - that's about what they told me when I called a few minutes ago. And I have no clue what to expect a procedure like draining the puss / fluid from a kid's toe to cost. They couldn't tell me either (or just plain wouldn't).
Yup, wouldn't. They can't make their money if they agree to a price.
The good news is I was able to get here worked in at her pediatrician's office. The visit is only $84 (not nearly as hefty), and they will bill us for the rest. I'm not sure what that will be, but at least I don't have to pay an unknown amount up front.
But you still have to pay an unknown amount.
Only up to $300.
How does that work? Am I missing something?
The HSN covers after $300.
Oh, okay. I get it now.
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@johnhooks said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@johnhooks said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
Yep - that's about what they told me when I called a few minutes ago. And I have no clue what to expect a procedure like draining the puss / fluid from a kid's toe to cost. They couldn't tell me either (or just plain wouldn't).
Yup, wouldn't. They can't make their money if they agree to a price.
The good news is I was able to get here worked in at her pediatrician's office. The visit is only $84 (not nearly as hefty), and they will bill us for the rest. I'm not sure what that will be, but at least I don't have to pay an unknown amount up front.
But you still have to pay an unknown amount.
Only up to $300.
How does that work? Am I missing something?
The HSN covers after $300.
The idea is you are supposed to cover up to $300 in medical bills on your own and can submit a need to the group if you end up with a bill higher than that.
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@JaredBusch said:
@johnhooks said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@johnhooks said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
Yep - that's about what they told me when I called a few minutes ago. And I have no clue what to expect a procedure like draining the puss / fluid from a kid's toe to cost. They couldn't tell me either (or just plain wouldn't).
Yup, wouldn't. They can't make their money if they agree to a price.
The good news is I was able to get here worked in at her pediatrician's office. The visit is only $84 (not nearly as hefty), and they will bill us for the rest. I'm not sure what that will be, but at least I don't have to pay an unknown amount up front.
But you still have to pay an unknown amount.
Only up to $300.
How does that work? Am I missing something?
The HSN covers after $300.
The idea is you are supposed to cover up to $300 in medical bills on your own and can submit a need to the group if you end up with a bill higher than that.
Right. Now I understand. The bill is of an unknown amount, but the personal risk is only up to $300.
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I looked into them a while back. Samaritan looked like the best option of the HSNs. There is another one (the name is escaping me at the moment) and it worked more like an actual insurance plan, but it was much more expensive.
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@johnhooks said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@johnhooks said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
Yep - that's about what they told me when I called a few minutes ago. And I have no clue what to expect a procedure like draining the puss / fluid from a kid's toe to cost. They couldn't tell me either (or just plain wouldn't).
Yup, wouldn't. They can't make their money if they agree to a price.
The good news is I was able to get here worked in at her pediatrician's office. The visit is only $84 (not nearly as hefty), and they will bill us for the rest. I'm not sure what that will be, but at least I don't have to pay an unknown amount up front.
But you still have to pay an unknown amount.
Only up to $300.
How does that work? Am I missing something?
The HSN covers after $300.
Yes, they do, but you get reimbursed later. So if you are expected to pay $1200 on the spot, for example, it's on you to have the cash available.
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@NetworkNerd said:
@johnhooks said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@johnhooks said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@NetworkNerd said:
Yep - that's about what they told me when I called a few minutes ago. And I have no clue what to expect a procedure like draining the puss / fluid from a kid's toe to cost. They couldn't tell me either (or just plain wouldn't).
Yup, wouldn't. They can't make their money if they agree to a price.
The good news is I was able to get here worked in at her pediatrician's office. The visit is only $84 (not nearly as hefty), and they will bill us for the rest. I'm not sure what that will be, but at least I don't have to pay an unknown amount up front.
But you still have to pay an unknown amount.
Only up to $300.
How does that work? Am I missing something?
The HSN covers after $300.
Yes, they do, but you get reimbursed later. So if you are expected to pay $1200 on the spot, for example, it's on you to have the cash available.
Makes sense.
