Hi Amanda,

If you have health insurance that company may be your ally in correcting the bills from the ER room since there was a misdiagnosis. I would contact your insurance company - no one knows how to avoid making medical payments like a medical insurance company does.

If/when you do contact the hospital adminsitrator/billing, do it in writing or at least by e-mail. Start a paper trail. That way if things get long and drawn out you have proof that you weren't just "not paying" the bill but were legitimately protesting your obligation to pay it.

I don't know how to say this delicately. Most ER docs are very wonderful, trustworthy physicians who are dedicated to providing the best medical care on earth. However, there are some physicians who run into trouble in their career, don't seem quite able to make it in private practice or at a teaching hospital, but somehow end up in an ER. You might ask the hospital adminsitrator about that specific ER doc's qualifications, how long he's been at the hospital, etc., whether or not this doctor has had trouble with these types of diagnosis. Just let them know that $400 is a lot of money to you and you can't afford to pay for medical mistakes. That's a long way from threatening legal action but hopefully will get you what you want which is relief from the bill.

I'm glad that your husband has finally received proper med treatment. I know my son has seen more than his fair share of ERs and fortunately we've had only the best ER docs. Butfor those very few docs who get thru the cracks, not good.