tv star collector
12-14-2008, 01:47 PM
When Amber Joy Milbrodt, 29, broke her leg in September, she went to the
emergency room at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. She waited and
waited, yet she was never called to see a doctor. Finally, after 19 hours,
Milbrodt limped out of the hospital, untreated and in disgust. Two weeks
later, she received a bill for $162 from Parkland. For what? While Milbrodt was
in the waiting room, a nurse took her temperature and blood pressure and
inquired about her level of pain. That, Parkland officials said, was worth billing
for. "They didn't do anything worth $162," Milbrodt says. "Checking your blood pressure is not something they can charge you for." However, Parkland
did relent under media pressure and announced that it will now charge patients only after they've received treatment. "Our decision was based on
what is best for our patients rather than on financial considerations," said John Dragovits, the hospital's executive vice president and chief financial
officer.
-- Michelle Diament
AARP Bulletin (December 2008)
emergency room at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. She waited and
waited, yet she was never called to see a doctor. Finally, after 19 hours,
Milbrodt limped out of the hospital, untreated and in disgust. Two weeks
later, she received a bill for $162 from Parkland. For what? While Milbrodt was
in the waiting room, a nurse took her temperature and blood pressure and
inquired about her level of pain. That, Parkland officials said, was worth billing
for. "They didn't do anything worth $162," Milbrodt says. "Checking your blood pressure is not something they can charge you for." However, Parkland
did relent under media pressure and announced that it will now charge patients only after they've received treatment. "Our decision was based on
what is best for our patients rather than on financial considerations," said John Dragovits, the hospital's executive vice president and chief financial
officer.
-- Michelle Diament
AARP Bulletin (December 2008)