Bills, Bills, Bills
Posted on September 7, 2011 8 Comments
Well, the car cost me $500 to fix (Estimated $1,200 of damage, $500 after insurance). Blah. I wish I could find the person who hit me and ask them what the hell they were doing that night.
Also, I just learned that I have like $360 in outstanding chiropractor bills. I will never understand health insurance. Nor will I ever understand medical pricing. I’m pretty sure my office bills are priced sky-high to cover all the medicare/medicaid patients who come in for visits (hospitals lose money on medicare/medicaid patients). I mean, really, $80 for a half-hour massage and $126 for 20 minutes with a chiropractor? If I didn’t need chiro adjustments so darn much I would never go there again. I just need to find a cheaper provider.
Sigh. ~$860 in extra bills this month. My annual ski trip in February is beginning to look a lot less possible at this point, unless I dip into savings for it, which I don’t think I should do. Bummer.
Ah well, at least I had a good weekend at Alpine Valley with my favorite band:
Category: Money
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8 Responses to “Bills, Bills, Bills”
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September 7th, 2011 @ 9:06 pm
Unexpected bills always seem to crop up — and it’s never a “good” time for them.
And trust me — you don’t even want to get me started on insurance. Insurance companies also negotiate lower prices with health care providers, as well, for the services they cover, and so it’s the folks who don’t have insurance coverage who REALLY get it it stuck to them — ‘though those who have a really high deductible aren’t too much better off than the uninsured.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_prices
“Insurance companies, as payors, negotiate health care pricing with providers on behalf of the insured. Hospitals, doctors, and other medical providers have traditionally disclosed their fee schedules only to insurance companies and other institutional payors, and not to individual patients. Uninsured individuals are expected to pay directly for services, but since they lack access to pricing information, price-based competition may be reduced. The introduction of high-deductible insurance has increased demand for pricing information among consumers.”
There are, of course, lengthier, more detailed sources regarding insurance pricing, but this was short and succinct, which is why I selected it.
Whether or not your ski trip comes to pass, at least you have some fond memories with your favorite band!
September 8th, 2011 @ 12:55 am
I am with you. I don’t understand the point of insurance, and paying copays just to get a bill a month later.
September 8th, 2011 @ 2:56 pm
Right?! It’s kind of totally ridiculous. Why do I even bother with insurance? I might as well be one of those “cash-paying” patients who get everything cheaper.
September 9th, 2011 @ 10:59 pm
Nicole, I’m a cash-paying patient (self-employed, no insurance), and I’m charged much, much more — trust me.
September 10th, 2011 @ 12:58 pm
Hi, it’s my first time commenting! I just wanted to say it makes me feel better that someone as well versed in the scary world of budgeting and finances still has issues with medical insurance! I seriously get so frustrated because I think it’s all paid for…and then I get another bill! What’s up with that? Thanks for sharing, and I hope everything is okay with your car!!
September 16th, 2011 @ 2:13 am
It’s always hard when bills pile up at one time. Do you happen to have a periodic savings account? It’s a good idea to put money aside each month into a separate account, not your main savings, for things like car repairs and medical bills or home maintenance so that when these things do come up you are prepared and can still do things like go on your ski trip.
October 21st, 2011 @ 7:19 pm
I have what I call a “rainy day fund” that does have I think 6 months rent in it and is supposed to be used in case I lose my job or something. But it’s a nice idea to look at it as a more incremental pot of money vs. something specifically marked for job loss as long as I keep it replenished for the most part. Thanks!
October 21st, 2011 @ 7:20 pm
Melissa! Hi and thanks so much for your comment! Sorry it took a million years to reply but I really appreciate the feedback