anybody ever leave a hospital against medical advice?

[mopinko]

not going into detail here. but there seems to be a belief out there that patients who "elope" get stuck with the bill.
anyone have any experience with that?

[4_TN_TITANS]

1. I went AMA from a hospital detox once...

They fudged the paperwork so the insurance would pay. It makes sense - they want the guaranteed thousands from the insurance as opposed to taking their chances with directly billing the individual.

Can't promise this is what would happen to you...

[tech3149]

2. Yes, four days of comprehensive testing not a clue for diagnosis

Of course I was self pay and would not accept clueless as a diagnosis and left against medical advice. The billing was $24K or so. I talked it down to $13K and that was still too much. Hospital billing is a racket that started back in the early 80's and has only gotten worse, especially for self pay. I'm not sure how it would work out with an insurer refusing to cover the charges for an AMA discharge.

[Warpy]

3. I don't recommend it

because insurance won't pay for the care you had. It's one way we used to talk people who were really too sick to go home and fend for themselves into staying another day or so to finish tests and/or treatment.

Having insurance refuse to cover an AMA stay is not an urban legend. They do this.

Then there was the stupid, entitled twit who went AMA because she wanted to go smoke and the cardiac monitors wouldn't pick up outside. She was so surprised when she found out she couldn't just waltz back in. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when the bills came in.

I've never had to go AMA but sleep deprivation makes me rebel within three days or so and I've been pretty good at sweet talking doctors into discharging me against their better judgment. You only get naps in the hospital and if you're old like me, you risk getting loopy.

I suggest you follow my lead and try to sweet talk them into an earlier discharge with quick follow up. It's a hell of a lot cheaper that way.

[mopinko]

8. i understand that this is told to people

all the time to keep them from eloping. it appears to be untrue.

we shall see.

[Warpy]

9. If you're on Medicare, the bill will be paid

As for private insurance, it varies state to state. Check the laws in your state first.

Private insurance sucks, but we knew that.

[mopinko]

10. i dont know what the hospital has to report

but i assume they know better than to report it in a way that would nix the payments.

[StatGirl]

4. No personal experience, but . . .

. . . I Googled this very issue when my dad wanted to leave a hospital that didn't seem to know what to do with him.

He was advised that Medicare would not pay the bill if he just left, but that turned out to be a lie. Medicare will pay for any appropriate charge while the patient is hospitalized. I can't speak to other insurance companies, but you could probably call the specific insurance company and find out.

[mopinko]

5. that is what i am reading.

it makes no sense to me that the insurance company would have anything to say about this. if the care that was received is medically necessary, they have to pay.

found this-
http://www.uchospitals.edu/news/2012/20120203-billing.html

[StatGirl]

6. I was just coming back here to give you that link!

Also,

http://www.epmonthly.com/whitecoat/2010/05/will-insurance-deny-payment-if-you-leave-ama/, which refers to http://www.annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644%2809%2901798-3/fulltext

[Scuba]

7. Twice. No problems with the bill either time.

[Trillo]

11. Yes. After an auto accident which totaled two vehicles.

Apparently I had banged my head or something. The hospital had cops and security all over the place, and they were manhandling me. I finally said enough is enough, I want out of here. Security had their hand on my arm with a firm grip, a little tiny guy on a power trip, I said repeatedly, in a military loud voice, "Let go of me." Finally, the hospital administrator said to let me go, so he released me (they didn't listen to me, only their boss, this was a hospital, they were supposed to listen to me, no care without my consent). I said I wanted out, they didn't want to let me go, wanted me to sign something about it being against doctors advice.

Insurance paid most of the bill, I don't recall the details regarding hospital copays or deductibles, I believe I had to pay something, but insurance covered most of it. It was in the latter 1980s I believe.

You have to be very careful about believing anything hospitals or doctors tell you. The field is loaded with fraud, they've actually academically rationalized lying as "good for patients" (placebos).