Re: Roy Exum: Heard Of ‘Patient Dumping’?

I don't know which hospital Roy Exum was referring to and no doubt it happens.

I would like to share my stories. First I have BC BS PPO. I had a lot of pain in my hips that got worse over time. My orthopedic doctor strongly recommended surgery. I chose Parkridge and had surgery on a hip and three months later I had surgery on the other hip. My insurance supplement would at this time permit me to go to any hospital. I choose Parkridge the second time based on the care I received the first time.

Later I fell and injured a leg and went to Eastridge at midnight. It took about 10 minutes to sign in and the doctor was great at treating and taking time to explain things to me and what I needed to do.

I have a heart condition that is being treated at the Chattanooga Heart Institute at Memorial and I could not ask for better care, support and treatment.

My 90+year old sister had congestive heart failure and was taken to Memorial Hospital.  She was quickly examined and treatment started. During her time in Memorial she received great care, patience and treatment. Her recovery has amazed our family.

My sister and I have a BCBS PPO. We all have our experiences in life and see it from our prospective. My experiences with the above hospitals have been great and is where I will choose in the future.

Nicolas Kennedy

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Mr. Kennedy,
I agree with Mr. Kennedy that the Chattanooga area is very blessed to have so many well-qualified hospitals in our area we can chose if we are ill or in pain.   But I believe that Mr. Exum's point in his letter was that some people with no commercial insurance in addition to their Medicaid or Medicare insurance payments for medical services have been forwarded to Erlanger hospital for their care instead of being treated in the hospital the patient first choses.  It sounds as if you and your sister have a commercial insurance (BCBS PPO) which probably pays more than Medicare or Medicaid alone would pay for medical services.

I realize that keeping up with insurance claims is becoming even more difficult to manage than it was just a few years ago.  Maybe the person in his story, who now has two hospital bills plus an ambulance bill to make sure gets paid correctly, agrees that other hospitals' process of passing some lower paying patients on to Erlanger, has caused him even more trouble than his original ailment should have caused him.

Lynda Scott