Graham Walker, MD @drgrahamwalker.com 路 Dec 16

This denial letter for a pulmonary embolism is making the rounds, attributed to UHC but could have been any of the insurers. The most important point here: the patient gets the bill and the blame but probably had zero control or say into this decision to admit them for a PE

24 likes 3 replies

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Replies

Walter Crittenden, MD 馃┖ 路 Dec 17

The grammar in the last paragraph seems a little off for this kind of letter. As has already been said, we need more information.

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Mr. Martin 路 Dec 16

Why doesn't the insurance premium come with a medical degree? So that a patient could understand the embolism just isn't that harmful to you.

Eric Strong 路 Dec 16

Obviously there isn't enough info here to say anything about this one case, but it brings up the broader point that if an admission recommended by clinicians was later deemed to be unnecessary, the patient should *never* be financially responsible. That's for the hospital & insurance to sort out.