A Billing Tale

Today, I negotiated the final hospital bill to a discounted 44%, which included deleting glaring errors on their part. Had they strapped me down, opened a vein and let half of my blood volume drain to the floor, I don't think I would be as wiped out from the ordeal as I am now. In the eyes of the hospital, you are the disfigured forest dweller who is trying to take advantage of the innocent villager offering you a life-saving, yet poisonous, apple. They have you by your ugly short hairs.

I feel victorious albeit beat to hell. I am not so naive as to think that they didn't make their margins and then some, even with my lowered bill. It is my firm belief that they never ever would have allowed the negotiation had the margin not been met by my insurance payout, and it's my guess that it was exceeded as well.

The system is broke, baby. And just from my limited experience I know how to fix it. But the fix would take away the payola, the fraud, righting the greed of so many for so long, and who will listen to me?!

Thank God there is cake. In my exhaustion from the battle, that's all I gots. Well, that and a 44% lower bill.