Consumerist
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healthcare
HCA: It's Hospital Policy To Shakedown Patients Before They Leave
It is hospital chain HCA's policy to "wrest as much cash as humanly possible out of patients before they leave the building," even if the patient hasn't yet recovered from major surgery. The bedside shakedowns occur before the for-profit hospital submits its claims to the insurance company, shifting the burden of payment from insurance companies to patients. Stephanie Mencimer wrote about her experience with HCA after her father underwent knee replacement surgery:
Among the many hospital personnel who stopped in to see my father after surgery was a "financial counselor" from the billing office, who basically started stalking him from the minute he left the intensive care unit.
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no checks
Certegy Decides Whether Or Not Kmart Will Accept Your Check
S. wrote a check at Kmart earlier this month and it was denied. No reason was given—just "denied." It turns out a separate company, Certegy, made the decision, so S.—who writes, "I've never had a bounced check"—tried to track down someone at Certegy who could tell her what was wrong with her checks.
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education
Sallie Mae Stops Student Loan Consolidation, Will No Longer Pay Origination Fees On Stafford Loans
Consolidation loans are no longer profitable for Sallie Mae, so it's saying goodbye to them. SmartMoney points out that ultimately this shouldn't matter for students taking out new loans, since the original point of consolidation—converting lots of variable rate loans into a nice predictable fixed rate loan—is no longer relevant (all federal student loans are now disbursed with fixed interest rates.) SmartMoney says if you still have variable rate loans you need/want to consolidate, check out the government's consolidation offering—"You're likely to pay the same consolidation rates you'd pay if you did so with Sallie Mae," they write. More » -
tax tip
Tax Cat: Help! I Owe The IRS Money And I Don't Have Any!
The IRS knows you owe them money and they realize that you may not actually have any to give them. Don't worry, they're not going to come in the night and steal all your Nerf footballs and catnip. More » -
legal tender
This Bath & Body Works Doesn't Accept Cash
A.A. sent us these photos, and writes,That's the sign I saw at the Bath & Body Works store in a Tanger Outlet Mall in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. I didn't go inside to find out if my legal tender was no good there or what, but I'm a fan of the site and thought y'all would get a kick out of the pics.
The U.S. Treasury says that's fine, stores don't have to accept cash. We're just worried the people in Pigeon Forge know something about the U.S. dollar that we don't. More » -
stimulus
Check Out The IRS's Economic Stimulus Payment Calculator
The IRS has more information about the upcoming economic stimulus payments. Woohoo! More » -
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tender letdown
CompUSA Refuses To Accept Cash
A CompUSA cashier summoned her manager and a security guard when Bud tried to pay for his purchases with cash. The promise of 40% discounts drew Bud to the Boisie, Idaho store, but he settled for a 10% discount on an iMac and several accessories.I start counting out hundred dollar bills and the clerk goes nuts! "Sir, we don't accept cash for this kind of purchase! You must use a credit card!" she says at the top of her lungs. (I see her also hit a button on the phone at the same time.)
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paper or plastic
Yes, New York City Cabs Take Credit Cards
New York taxi drivers have resigned themselves to a fate with credit cards, according to a New York Times investigation. Cabbies struck twice this year to protest regulations forcing them to accept credit of all stripes. To see if cabbies are following the new rules, the Times asked five reporters to hop in twenty cabs each with one question: "I've only got a credit card, is that O.K.?"
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shophacks
Shophacks: How to Force 'Buy Now, Pay Later' at Many Stores
This scheme is a bit duplicitous, of course, but we feel no compunction passing on ways to game the same system that so often screws us over. Use these tricks at your own risk. More » -
complaints
What to Do When Retailers Want Your Unlisted Number?
This is exactly the sort of question we love being asked, despite the fact we don't personally know the answer. We suspect one of you probably do. More »
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