Hospital bill goes viral

A 20 Year-Old Got Appendicitis and This Was His Hospital Bill

Love the comment from the Aussie.



$16k surgery yields a $55k bill, of which twenty year-old is responsible for $11k.

No, actually - this doesn't work for me.

And the conservatives here will attack that Aussie for being so selfish as to rely on the taxpayers to pay for his/her medical treatment. But that is how it works here. No bill. Stay in hospital for as long as you need to, the generous taxpayers will pay your bill, and we like it that way.

No one should have to worry about a freaking bill that high when they are sick.
 
I can't believe the other comments - giving a kid a juice box and a pill, and charging the parents two thousand dollars for it? That's the most expensive bloody juice box ever!
 
I can't believe the other comments - giving a kid a juice box and a pill, and charging the parents two thousand dollars for it? That's the most expensive bloody juice box ever!

When I was 25, I was in the hospital for a day, didn't have surgery and it cost me $6000.
It fucked up my fiances for a few years, it was great.

People with diseases like cancer have to have fundraisers so they don't lose their home.
 
I can't believe the other comments - giving a kid a juice box and a pill, and charging the parents two thousand dollars for it? That's the most expensive bloody juice box ever!

When I was 25, I was in the hospital for a day, didn't have surgery and it cost me $6000.
It fucked up my fiances for a few years, it was great.

People with diseases like cancer have to have fundraisers so they don't lose their home.

And that is just fucking pathetic. If I got cancer, I don't have to raise money for my treatment. I just go to hospital, get my treatment, have follow up appointments, and pay zilch. Zero. Nada. I finish my treatment and get on with my life, no worrying about how to pay that massive bill.

Shame on those conservatives who think that people should just plan for sickness, get a better job, save more etc. No one deserves to get seriously ill, and no one deserves to become even more sick with worrying about how to pay the damned bills.
 
When I was 22, I woke up one morning with severe pain in my leg, focused on my knee. I couldn't really bend it without intense pain, so I took the day off from work and went to the Emergency room.

I waited for nearly 7 hours in the waiting room, then finally someone took x-rays, puzzled at them, said "we have no idea what's wrong", gave me an anti-inflammatory prescription, and sent me on my way. The next morning, my knee was fine, and it never bothered me again. I never even filled the prescription.

I was billed for just over $6,000.
 
When I was 22, I woke up one morning with severe pain in my leg, focused on my knee. I couldn't really bend it without intense pain, so I took the day off from work and went to the Emergency room.

I waited for nearly 7 hours in the waiting room, then finally someone took x-rays, puzzled at them, said "we have no idea what's wrong", gave me an anti-inflammatory prescription, and sent me on my way. The next morning, my knee was fine, and it never bothered me again. I never even filled the prescription.

I was billed for just over $6,000.

Did you have insurance?
 
When I was 22, I woke up one morning with severe pain in my leg, focused on my knee. I couldn't really bend it without intense pain, so I took the day off from work and went to the Emergency room.

I waited for nearly 7 hours in the waiting room, then finally someone took x-rays, puzzled at them, said "we have no idea what's wrong", gave me an anti-inflammatory prescription, and sent me on my way. The next morning, my knee was fine, and it never bothered me again. I never even filled the prescription.

I was billed for just over $6,000.

Did you have insurance?

Not initially, but after getting the bill I was able to work it out so that I was covered by COBRA from my parent's insurance that we had just let lapse, and I ended up only having to pay a very small co-pay. My parents had great insurance.
 
The services I received.
I think you can see how outrageous some of these costs are. Such as the Recovery Room that I was in for maybe two hours. Or the Room and Board that I had for one night. Or maybe the $4,500 worth of anesthesia they supposedly used on me.

Appendicitis Sucks (in America) - Imgur

This is really cool and shows how insurance companies contract with providers.

On the last page-
Allowance Insurance C/A -$37,448 is the contracted markdown with the insurance company.
Aetna actually paid $6461.

This bill is a summary.
I have been in this position before and I ask for a detailed bill.

The most memorable charge was $460 for a hospital gown.
I asked "Really?" For a gown that cost $12 and has been used at least a dozen times.
That item was struck off my bill.

Hospitals expect people to dicker.

Sutter sucks btw.
 
And if he hadn't been on his folks' insurance, as so many are with the ACA, he'd have been responsible for a $55k bill.

He is 20 years old.
Before ACA children could stay on their parent's plan until 23 if they were in college.
 
The US is the only country where this happens. It's guised as free enterprise.

And just imagine how easier it would be if insurance was simple...like simple when my Grandfather sold insurance in the 50's.
It's simple everywhere else ... single payer.

Like the UK? No thanks.

How about choice?
You can choose single payer and I'll choose private.

Even Canada with a population of 35 million people rolled their healthcare plan out slowly, by province.
And Canadians are now purchasing Supplemental Health Insurance because 'basic need' is not adequate.

Canada Health Insurance

Canada is recognized for its effective health care system. Although provincial governments provide its citizens with basic health insurance needs, there are many important health care factors that are overlooked.

When it comes to health insurance, all provincial governments offer limited coverage. The following is a list of what most governments cover in full:

One eye examination every 24 months
Basic ward accommodations in hospital
Regular physician visits

It is important to note that this list is not reflective of all the health insurance plans across Canada. Some provinces do not even provide full health insurance coverage for these basic needs, while others provide full coverage for more.
 

New Topics

Forum List

Back
Top