Friday, January 28, 2005
More on Overcharging
Leon Hisle – colleague from Kentucky days and friend, now retired – sends along the following report of his experience at the University of Kentucky Hospital, of which I was Administrator when it opened in 1962.
………………
Your article on overcharging reminded me of an experience I had in July in your former hospital, the University of Kentucky Medical Center.
In July I went into fibrillation and went to the UK Medical Center at about 9AM. The family care physician ordered me admitted. I was taken to the ER because there was no bed available. I sat in a wheelchair and then lay on a stretcher for the next four hours. No service except I was hooked up to a monitor which, I assume, was being watched somewhere. A bed became available about two o'clock. I stayed there until eight that night, during which time my heart went back in rhythm. A cardiologist came by and told me I could go home.
The entire time I received no service except the monitoring, didn't get a food tray or a bed pan!
The hospital billed Medicare and AARP $5,100.
Leon Hisle – colleague from Kentucky days and friend, now retired – sends along the following report of his experience at the University of Kentucky Hospital, of which I was Administrator when it opened in 1962.
………………
Your article on overcharging reminded me of an experience I had in July in your former hospital, the University of Kentucky Medical Center.
In July I went into fibrillation and went to the UK Medical Center at about 9AM. The family care physician ordered me admitted. I was taken to the ER because there was no bed available. I sat in a wheelchair and then lay on a stretcher for the next four hours. No service except I was hooked up to a monitor which, I assume, was being watched somewhere. A bed became available about two o'clock. I stayed there until eight that night, during which time my heart went back in rhythm. A cardiologist came by and told me I could go home.
The entire time I received no service except the monitoring, didn't get a food tray or a bed pan!
The hospital billed Medicare and AARP $5,100.
