What am I looking at in price for an appendectomy?

Question

I just had an emergency appendectomy. I thought my insurance was effective the day before it happended then I found out I"m not on my insurance untill another two weeks. what can I do? can the insurance back date? or what am I looking at in price for self pay?

Answer 1

The total bill should run you about $15,000, or reprice to about $6,000.  

Insurance isn't going to pick this up for you, sorry. They won't backdate.

Answer 2

I wouldn't count on a group insurance back dating for you and an individual carrier won't.

Ask the business office what financial aid is available. If you don't qualify for medicaid in your state, there is often charity care that you might be eligible for. If you can pay a cash rate for your services, that can save you a ton-but you will probably have to pay the entire amount in one payment and immediately.

The cost depends on where you live as much as what was actually done for you-but you can bet it will be $25,000-$30,000.

Answer 3

You may have a bit of a solution if you had a previous employer and you were within 60 days of leaving that job.

If so, you can elect to enable your benefits under COBRA from your previous employers' plan.

You can have the coverage enabled retroactively (as long as it is within 60 days) and you have to pay the full premium from the date you left that company's employment.  Which could run you a few thousand dollars, but then there would be some coverage.

You should get in the mail a COBRA election form which explains your rights.

If you did not have an employer's group coverage previously, you will not get retroactive coverage from your current employer and you will have to negotiate a discount from the hospital and providers and do the best you can to pay it off.

Answer 4

If the insurance is through your employer they might back date the effective date.

If not.......  A lot