I have very good insurance, but a high deductible ($5,000). My employer got us secondary insurance for gap coverage on our deductible, which means they cover $4,000 of it — I’m effectively left with a $1,000 deductible. This means, I pay $1,000 for my upcoming surgery. OK. Fine.

But the hospital wants payment up-front. Which means, they won’t wait for my insurance to process the claim, or my gap coverage to pay the remainder of my deductible. So, I have to pay the full amount up-front, sans the $473 allowable on my primary insurance.

Confused yet … or just pissed off?

UPDATE

Well, it’s a good thing I’ve got insurance. Total cost of upcoming surgery is $8,716.31. I am responsible for $1,000. IF I didn’t have insurance, the cost of surgery would be more than $24,000. Tell me, how are low-income citizens supposed to afford healthcare?