Several insurers spared out-of-pocket expenses during the pandemic
A California woman reportedly had a death encounter in her battle with COVID-19 last year. While her road to recovery continues, she is now dealing with more than a million dollars in medical expenses.
Patricia Mason de Sacramento was hospitalized from March 28 to April 20, during which she received treatment at two different hospitals. Months after being released, Mason received a $ 1,339,181.94 medical bill, she told the Los Angeles Times.
Read more: Trump’s federal executions may have helped spread COVID
The woman’s insurance, Blue Shield of California, covered most of the account, but she still owes $ 42,184.20 for out-of-network costs, according to the report. Mason said it is unlikely that she will pay the debt.
What the Vacaville couple – with five jobs and nine adult children among them – is actually at risk: $ 42,184.20.
The likelihood that they will pay? Zero. pic.twitter.com/zDNhScZ7kA
– Los Angeles Times (@latimes) February 8, 2021
“I don’t have $ 42,000 left,” said Mason. She and her husband have five jobs between them. “We are at a point where we are trying to survive for the next 15 years, so hopefully we can one day retire…. I’m lucky to be alive, so we take that into account. But the reality is that I don’t have [the money]. This will not happen.”
Mason’s hospital costs were divided as follows: $ 479,162.40 for his stay at the coronary care unit at NorthBay Medical Center in Fairfield, 470,950.94 for pharmacy and respiratory services costs $ 166,669.80, according to report.
The most serious cases of COVID-19 do not only attack the patient’s body, leading to pneumonia, respiratory failure, septic shock, blood clots, brain fog and more than 460,000 deaths in the United States to date.
They can also damage the virus victim’s bank account. pic.twitter.com/wuWJCxSovC
– Los Angeles Times (@latimes) February 8, 2021
Meanwhile, several insurers have reportedly waived out-of-pocket expenses for COVID-19 treatment of their members in the midst of the pandemic.
“The first problem is that you have COVID and you are not feeling very well. Going into battle with doctors and hospitals or health plans, there is a huge imbalance of power to begin with, let alone when you are struggling with health problems, ”he said. Sabrina Corlette, co-director of the Center for Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. “Getting answers about why certain things are in the account is almost impossible.”
Read more: Journalist Biba Adams on the loss of 3 family members to COVID: ‘They weren’t just numbers’
Mason’s recovery from his battle at COVID was not without its challenges. According to the LA Times reports, she takes baby aspirin and “everything I hear will help” to reduce her long-term side effects.
“Every time I turn around, is it something related to COVID and that will last forever?” she said. “And nobody knows.”
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