A $700 Bill

I was reading Abenoseimei when receiving a mail from Aetna, my health insurance company. I visited my OB last month and got vaccination as she suggested. The bill I received cost me around $700, with the charge of vaccine at $70, the "administrative cost of vaccination" of $60, and an absurdly high cost of "office visit". It took me one and a half hours to appeal a review, which will take another 7-10 business days to give me feedback.

The health insurance system is one of the most confusing things in the US. It looks like that the hospital redefined my maternal visit to a "counseling" because the OB gave me some suggestions on pregnancy, which as a result excluded my visit from insurance coverage. I do hate reading the 30-page insurance policy and couldn't really figure out the differences between all sorts of visit. But I can't see how helpful it is to separate medical care from medical advice as both contribute to patients' health and address the same problems. Last year I came across a similar issue when I got food poisoned on the plane and was sent to emergency service after landing. The doctor was obviously too used to emergencies that she did not even show up until half an hour after my check-in. In the end I couldn't bear the pain anymore that I just asked her for some pain-killers. The unpleasant visit cost me more than $400. And now it surprises me again with a $700 bill for vaccination.

I remember when I saw a doctor in Beijing, it never took me more than one hour. I was informed of the payment before I decided to receive the medical care or not - if it was far above my budget, I could ask the doctor for alternatives. The insurance plans were much less complicated as well - you pay a certain amount at your visit, and a little more at pharmacy. The advantage is that you are fully informed of the charges, and there is no need to waste time on arguing against either the insurance company or the hospital; and the disadvantage is that some people are unable to get treatment because they can't pay at the counter. Of course it's too bad if lives are not saved due to financial concerns, but it's not less evil if people are deprived of the right to know how much they are to be charged.

As a warning, it's pretty risky to visit hospitals outside the school if you're covered by student health plans. I never paid a penny at Princeton Health Center, but when I saw a doctor in the bay for similar purposes the charges become ridiculously high. I suppose this is a different rule in this continent, inconvenient as it is, leaving me no choice but to better understand its functioning. I just switch to Gang's plan at Berkeley, which does offer a better coverage in the bay area and free access to health center in Berkeley (at a higher cost of course).

(This is a little bit off the topic, but today I also received a mail from superior court in Alameda County, asking me to appear for jury service next month. I'm not even a U.S. citizen! It's funny that I haven't enjoyed the rights of U.S. citizens but are already required to meet the obligations.)

(Source: http://goo.gl/bTwt0)