St. Luke's Hospital system - The Woodlands, Texas
Medical extortion is what I call the statement, "Pay or leave". My wife going in for a Hysterectomy (At age 36) was turned away yesterday from the St. Luke's Hospital. Prior to admittance, they required for us to pay "ALL" our out of pocket expenses directly to them. When confronted saying we have many unpaid bills still at our insurance company, they said either "PAY or LEAVE." I then stated I would pay as soon as I knew the surgery was to proceed. In other words, I will pay for services rendered, not hand over a sum of money as a DEPOSIT. I generally don't go into WalMart and hand the greater $100.00 and say, "I may spend this much today."
Well this is extortion. Last year, at the same Hospital system, they required me to pay a large sum of money prior to my wife's (AT age 35) heart surgery. Which I did under dearest. I plainly asked, "Will this be the only thing I owe, even after the surgery?", they said of course, your insurance will pay all the remainder. But one week after my wife's release, we started to get bills. When I asked for an "Itemized Bill" they sent me a summary bill. I requested again, a bill that included everything, payments received, payments made by insurance, every pill and band-aide used. It has been a year and I still have not received this. Of course they sent me into collections. And guess what, I can't do a thing about it.
So you may ask where does the racism come in. This started a few months back when I took my son (4 Years Old) to St. Luke's Hospital at the Woodlands Texas (Same place as above). We were greeted extremely RUDELY by the Black employees at the desk. Who treated the black patients in front and behind us A WHOLE LOT BETTER. We were pushed aside and ask to wait. My son only needed an X-ray of his leg. 1 Hour passed by. I went to the desk and inquired on when he would be seen. I was told, "Just sit down and we'll call you."...So I did with a usual smile on my face, while the BLACK patients where whisked off with friendly gestures and small talk.
2 Hours passed by (Now after 4pm) I once again inquired again, and again, rudely told, "SIT DOWN AND WAIT YOUR TURN"....Now it's going on 5pm (over three hours), as these BLACK employees were getting ready to leave, I inquired again, and was told..."NOT MY PROBLEM, TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE"...Now at 6pm, and frustrated, I finally asked to speak to a supervisor, which could not be found. But we stopped the x-ray technician on his way out and asked about our son's x-ray. He said, "We'll we don't to that type of x-ray today, only on certain days. I told the desk to tell you..." Steam ran from my ears, but I took it in stride and walked off.
Now back to yesterday. Once again, a Desk filled with BLACK employees looking at you as if you were a pile of shit (But only the WHITE patients), and speaking down to you as much as possible. But of course when a BLACK patient came up, the world seem to turn beautiful. If this were only one person behind the desk, I would say they had a chip on their shoulder. BUT IT WAS ALL OF THEM.
So now everyone wonders why there are race tensions, apathy and a total disregard of the fellow man. From what you read from above you now know.
So between the Medical Extortion and the Rampant racism, I would NEVER use the St. Luke's Medical System. Even if I were dying, I would make the Ambulance drive an hour more just so I would never have to deal with them.
I am begging all out there to never use the St. Luke's Hospital System.
Also, please help me get my book off the ground.
Grain and Grit, Ingredients of the True American.
Thanks
Tom
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