Member rides hospital billing roller coaster through surgery

In October 2016, I had throat surgery at a hospital in North Carolina to help address my obstructive sleep apnea. I received outstanding care from the doctors and staff, but the hospital’s billing department was a mess.

Before the procedure, I was told that the cost would be about $13,000 for cash-pay patients ("uninsured patient discount" as they called it). However, on the day of the surgery, before the procedure, I sat down with the financial counselor and she told me that the cost would be $42,000. (In shock, I thought they might need to redirect me to the ER with a heart attack!)

Then about three weeks after surgery I received a paper bill in the mail saying that I owed $32,000. I called the billing department, reminding them that I was a cash-pay patient and had been told prior to the procedure that it would cost $13,000. Shortly afterwards they sent me a new bill for this lower figure.

Then about three weeks later the hospital called again and encouraged me to fill out an application for financial assistance, which I did. A few weeks later, they informed me that my application was approved and that I would receive a 90 percent discount on my remaining balance!

After all the dust settled, the final bill came to about $4,500. Since I had obstructive sleep apnea long before becoming a Samaritan member, my need was not publishable as a regular need. I planned on submitting it as a Special Prayer Need request to cover the remaining balance, but a number of churches and individuals who financially support me (I serve as a missionary) gave additional funding to cover the remaining expenses.

So, in the end, my medical expenses were zero!

Phil Remmers is a Samaritan Ministries member who serves as a missionary in Asia. He serves with the Robert Morrison Project, which seeks to publish reformed Christian books in the global south. To learn more please visit www.robertmorrisonproject.org