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| - Be prepared to pay if you come here! I had a severe stomach ache and came here because of the incredibly long wait at Mercy Gilbert. There was no one in the waiting room, so they did get me in right away, which I appreciated. After a CT scan, I was told I had diverticulitis, and I received antibiotics and anti-nausea medicine and sent on my way.
Then I received the bill for $12,000, and I just about had a heart attack. It turns out that even though Gilbert ER tells you that due to the Affordable Care Act, your insurance has to cover your visit to any emergency facility, that's not really true. My Blue Cross Blue Shield plan paid just $3,000 and told me I was on the hook for the remaining $9,000, because Gilbert ER was not an in-network hospital.
I called Gilbert ER to ask why they charged so much and see whether they'd consider giving a cash discount, given that they were out of network. The billing manager said the state regulatory agency allows them to charge as much as they want and that I should appeal the decision with BCBS, because they weren't going to lower my bill.
So I appealed the decision again and again and again, and finally after 8 months (and numerous collections threats from Gilbert ER), BCBS agreed to pay. I will never visit Gilbert Hospital again, because even though the care was fine, the amounts they charge are absolutely ridiculous.
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