Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center

Review: I had one simple billing inquiry directly involving Meadowlands Hospital. I called [redacted] and the receptionist kindly gave me the phone number to reach [redacted] in the billing department who would be able to answer my simple question. I called the number given to me [redacted] multiple times without an answer and without a voicemail option. The voicemail recording stated: “messages cannot be recorded at this time". So I continued to call and eventually called the main number and was transferred to [redacted] who was very threatening in tone and demanded to know "WHO GAVE YOU MY NAME?!" to which I replied the receptionist. She abruptly transferred me to another extension which allowed me to leave a voice message although I did not know who I was leaving it for as [redacted] essentially hung up on me. What is so offensive about a customer calling the billing department to ask a billing question?

This was undeniably unprofessional and unnecessary. I have the right to know about my bill and what it means. There is absolutely no excuse for treating a patient so abhorrently. This is unbelievably unethical to withhold billing information from a patient.Desired Settlement: Disciplinary action, mandatory anger management, or termination as there are many unemployed Americans who can fill this position without the unethical behavior and withholding of customer information.

Review: I was admitted to Meadowlands Hospital on or around July 28, 2011. They submitted a claim to UnitedHealth Care. I never received any invoices or bills from them. On Friday, January 24, 2014 I received a notification from [redacted] and [redacted] in Parsippany (collection agency) requesting I pay the amount of $25,708.66. I contacted UnitedHealth Care on Tuesday, Jan. 28th. They confirmed that a payment was made to Meadowlands Hospital in early August and that I was only responsible for $3,400. UHC has been trying to contact their billing department and they have not been successful. I need assistance in getting this issue rectified as I do not owe the hospital $25,708.66. I'm willing to pay what I owe as long as a payment plan can be agreed upon since I don't make enough money nor do I have the $3,400 to pay right away.On another note this is not the first time Meadowlands Hospital has done this to me. Around 2007 I went into the emergency room and spoke to the person taking information and walked out because I was told the wait would be about 6 or 7 hours and I was in too much pain to wait. Then 3 years later I was getting a bill for $150. I paid it because I didn't have the energy to fight it.They should not be doing this to people. I'm sure other people have had the same problem but none will come forward. I feel people should not have to go through this.Also they misdiagnosed my condition and I am now dealing with an issue which cannot be corrected. Had they done everything to make sure they had a correct diagnosis the problem could've probably been fixed.Desired Settlement: I want the actual amount due to the hospital to be corrected to the $3,400 UHC told me I was responsible for.This to be removed from the collection agency [redacted] and [redacted] located in Parsippany.Someone to contact me as soon as possible with the correct information.

Review: [redacted] had 2 or 3 stitches placed in the L middle finger ER on 6/9/12.

Bill sent was 4,654.80

355 SREP S/N/A/G/TR/E.2.6-7.5CM 2,096.00

722 ER-LIMITED-MODIFIER #25 $2, 558.80

This is the only bill, information that was given to us. We requested an itemized bill and still only the above 2 lines were supplied to us.

#1-Charges are unreasonable given the nature of what was done (ER visit=approx 30 mins, 3 stitches by a Physician Assistant)

#2-No itemized bill was sent. This bill could be for something completely different.

We contacted Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center on several occasions. The main theme was "We can charge whatever we want". Charges were processed and already 1,079.01+845.63 was paid toward bill. This was made through our employee spending account/Cigna. No further bills were sent until 9/16/13. Cigna contacted and I was told that the hospital did not accept the contracted amount of 1629.18 and we still had a responsibility of $1100.89. Billing department was contacted in Sept-no answer at 888-492-7638. Billing department was contacted at 201-271-2734 (a number previously given to me last year). Directed to above number-hold time 25mins with no answer. Called back to billing dept 201: Nobody picked up and "call could not be completed". Phone call made to 201# from different number and phone call was answered indicating to me that someone was neglecting to answer my phone call. Nobody can provide itemized bill. Charges are unreasonable!Desired Settlement: Resolution to above matter ASAP. Would like a bill adjustment to reflect $0 owed. We already paid close to $2,000 for 2- 3 stiches on my finger. We also want to be absolutely sure that this in no way will negatively affect our credit. The bill is dated 9/16/13 and we received it the following week. The bill said it would go to collections in 10 days. I called the billing department when I received this bill and left a message to 888-492-7638 asking to extend this to 30 days while my Cigna insurance reprocessed the claim. Of course, nobody was available to take my call so I was only able to leave a message.

Review: I'm thoroughly disappointed with this hospital. I went there for an ER visit for an allergy response, I walked in and got iv injection of benadryl, steriods and epinephrine.

First of all we were told that I'm covered (under my insurance) but it turned out to be not. This would have been considered a malpractice of the hospital staff anywhere else and not the patients' responsibility for the bill due to not being aware of this. And I got a claim explanation from my insurance company indicating the entire cost is over $4200. It turns out (after countless phone calls to the hospital since no one corresponding would answer the phone or reply my message) that the main item being charged which is over $3000 is the "set-up" fee for ER visit set by the doctors in the hospital. I've never heard of such a high price for simply stepping into the ER room. (plus in later explanation I was informed that a single IV push would cost $367 and a push addition $235. This is robbery!

Then I figured my insurance does have out-of-network ER visit benefit, which is a huge relief. But about a month later I received a crappy-printed bill with hand-highlighted total amount for almost $8500 out of my pocket, since they duplicated each service I used without being able to tell that was one same service. Plus, no serious hospital would ever send a crappy paper for formal bill except this one. I feel like they are not even able to figure out if it was printed twice or actual twice services, and apparently they never doublecheck the record when they see the same items (while even elementary school kids could tell the items are exactly the same) but simply added up everything. I know my case is still under review in my insurance company, then why should they send me a bill and claim they will send me to collection without checking with my insurance?Desired Settlement: 1) written explanation regarding the false statements by Meadowlands Hospital for claiming the patient's insurance is accepted and now the patients' insurance is not accepted; 2)written explanation and formal apology of the duplication of price; 3)detailed explanation of the correct invoice, with portion of insurance coverage and patient responsibility separately listed in the form of the formal bill (as any other healthcare bills from other hospital); 4) withdrawal of the collection; 5) Patient will not pay corresponding bill until evidence received that the hospital has already contacted patient's insurance company regarding the correct amount of charges.