Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 15, 1993 TAG: 9310080341
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Carolyn Click
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The 30-year-old woman, injured in an auto accident in February, was incensed when Roanoke Memorial Hospital charged her $164.50 for a cotton sling she wore less than 24 hours.
She could have let the incident pass. After all, her employer's insurance fully covered the treatment for both her and her 14-year-old son, Chad, who was also slightly injured. But Mays said she figured others - including those who don't have health insurance - would also be looking at forking over about $155 more than the sling was worth. (Mays sews and figures the materials in the sling cost less than $10.)
She first protested to the hospital but got no relief. Then she complained to this newspaper.
Four days after she and her sling were featured in a May 9 news story on escalating health care costs, she got another call from Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
It seems there [ had ]been a mistake, and the sling actually cost $26.
``They told me after further research, [I] was charged the wrong price for the sling,'' said Mays.
Her insurance company, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, will receive a credit. And Mays gained some satisfaction knowing that she made a small contribution to the health care debate.
She's still not persuaded the hospital would have given her a credit without the publicity generated by the story.
``This is showing me they are charging what they want to,'' said Mays.
``PULSE'' is an occasional column in which staff writer Carolyn Click will share timely information about medical discoveries and ways to improve your health.
by CNB