Slick

Ok, my 7 year old daughter was playing on the floor with our puppy, firing it up, and the puppy ended up play biting her ear as she moved and made a slightly deep cut and it was from a dog, so the wife was worried, so she brought her in to the ER since it was evening. Well, yesterday I got the bill for it and it's fucking unreal -

$106.00 Sterile Supplies (A piece of paper towel and alcohol whipe)
$157.00 Emergency Room Procedure
$190.00 Emergency Room
$ 58.59 Self Administered Drugs (Tylenol)
$269.00 Physician Services
---------------------------
$780.59 !!!!!

Insurance pay $583.42
My Final Bill $197.17

Ok now, how the fuck can they charge $780 fucking dollars to clean and glue an ear shut ??? I think I'm in the wrong business, I'm gonna package up a piece of paper towl and an alcohol whipe and sell it for $106 and that's exactly what it was, no shit.

The really strange thing that I don't get about it is that they charge $269.00 in "Physician Services", which you'd think would pay for everything that the doctor does, but nope, that's just for him to look at the ear and say "No stitches are needed, break out the glue", then charge charge another $157.00 to glue it shut.

I'm sorry, but this is just fucking retarded. Thank God I got insurance, but I still gotta pay $19717 for it.

Slick

Actually I have to correct myself here, the "Self Administered Drugs" was a bottle of Amoxicillin, the same one I could get from Wal-Mart on their $4 plan.

Itchy

fuck that's crazy !!!

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welcome to America... and people still complain about Obama trying to end that crap?

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L-Pink

So, someone grossing $40,000 per year would have spent a weeks salary before taxes to have a minor scratch looked at. Nothing wrong with our health care system???


.

candyflip

We just had a baby via CSection and my partner had some complications that had her in the hospital for 16 days.

The running total right now is just over $35k. Most of that is covered by insurance, but it's crazy what they bill.

You are lucky she didn't take an ambulance to the hospital. My buddy paid $400+ for a 3/4 mile trip to emergency in one.

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Jdoughs

Up here its the opposite problem. You have every dickhead out there going to emergency for 'minor scratches' and eating up valuable, and certainly better spent, medical time.

Not in response to the OP but to LPink, who the hell would go to emerg for a minor scratch anyways..lol That shit drives me mad.

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Matt 26z

Your large bill helps pay for all of the people who don't pay.

Davy

Has anybody ever thought about going to court?

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halfpint

Holy cow and we complain over here in the UK about paying £7.20 ($11.90) for a prescription

Dam that is some crazy health service you have over there

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beerptrol

your large bill helps pay the CEO's large salary

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punkpred

What makes me laugh is that an average American spends 16% of his income on health care insurance and other medical factors not backed up by the government while in the UK 8% of out taxes goes to national health.
They don't care who you are in England you get taken care of, no one will go through your wallet to see if you have insurance first.

Keep bitching about a possible public option you bunch of losers.

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L-Pink

Me too. There are usually small "urgent treatment centers" people can go to but they tend to have 9-5 hours.

.

B O B

Slick
Emergency room fees are only expensive like that because you are an American citizen who has insurance.

you go in there an illegal alien with no insurance, and its only $5

good stuff our health care system!


***edit to say "responsible enough to be able to afford health insurance

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L-Pink

Obviously dental isn't covered in that 8%


.

shimmy2

its crazy but at least here you're going to get looked at and taken care of, the cost is secondary even though it may bankrupt you, you'll be alive to pay or not pay the final bill and you cant put a price on that. ive been to a lot of other countries where if you get sick or badly hurt you're just fucked. ive seen hospitals that look like abandoned buildings that are about as sterile as my engine bay so just be glad youre here should the need arise they'll be more than willing to patch you up in a jiffy

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Tanker

I must say moving up to canada and seeing public health care in action was a good thing!

I have not had any issues compared to the waits I waited while in California.

bring on a public option

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Grisey

Free in wales ;)

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punkpred

The World Health Organization's ranking of the world's health systems.

1 France
2 Italy
3 San Marino
4 Andorra
5 Malta
6 Singapore
7 Spain
8 Oman
9 Austria
10 Japan
11 Norway
12 Portugal
13 Monaco
14 Greece
15 Iceland
16 Luxembourg
17 Netherlands
18 United Kingdom
19 Ireland
20 Switzerland
21 Belgium
22 Colombia
23 Sweden
24 Cyprus
25 Germany
26 Saudi Arabia
27 United Arab Emirates
28 Israel
29 Morocco
30 Canada
31 Finland
32 Australia
33 Chile
34 Denmark
35 Dominica
36 Costa Rica
37 United States of America
38 Slovenia
39 Cuba
40 Brunei
41 New Zealand
42 Bahrain
43 Croatia
44 Qatar
45 Kuwait
46 Barbados
47 Thailand
48 Czech Republic
49 Malaysia
50 Poland

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baddog

It isn't nearly as ridiculous as your spelling.

That's what you get for over reacting. What stopped you from taking the prescription to Walmart?

ztik

Thats cheap as fuck. Last time I had to goto emergency room it was 2k just to get looked at. Walked out of there with a 6k bill for a dislocated shoulder

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Kick Ass Chat

Exactly right.

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woj

The ranking is partially based on factors such as "Distribution of Financing" and "Distribution of Health in the Populations" so the ranking doesn't really correctly measure the "quality" of the health care... so sure if you don't have insurance you are kinda screwed in the US, but for most middle class americans with insurance the health care is actually one of the best in the world...

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Tom_PM

Whats surprising to me is that it was surprising to someone how expensive medical care is in the day and age. I fully believe that the reason 100% of people aren't for reform is that they simply dont know this. Those nutcases hollering at town halls in August were completely manufactured by opponents of reform. They're scared because they're told they should be.

Anyway, glad your girl is ok. Now you know how expensive it is just to get a tiny scratch.

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gnet

In April, I had a sharp pain in my stomach. Went to the ER (Elmhurst hospital in queens), sat in the ER for 7 hours before a doctor saw me.

Because there were no doctors to see me, they gave me pain killers to numb the pain. When the doc finally saw me, they performed tests on me to see if i have any gall stones. They found two large ones. So, they prep me for another test. Gave me this liquid to drink, put me through this star trek machine. The results now show that i DON'T have gall stones, and that all I had was an inflamed gall bladder, which is common and can be treated on your own.

They recommended that I simply go on a clear liquid diet for 3 days. Here's the kicker -- they wanted me to stay in the hospital while they observed me for those three days. I had to sign an AMA to leave the hospital because the docs insisted that I stay.

They prescribed me three different pills to take. I didn't take any of them. I simply spent the next three days eating jello and drinking water. It went away on its own, without any help from the pills they prescribed.

A month later, they send me a bill for $1800+ for the tests that they performed (which turned out I didn't need to do) and for the medication they gave me from the pain (because there were no docs around to tell me what my problem was). Since I don't have insurance, I now have to pay it all or else (from what I hear), the hospital will find a way to get it from me.

If you simply want to know what that sharp pain in your stomach is, it's going to cost you $1800. Unreal.

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Michael O

I wouldn't get serious sick there but I went to the Hospital/doctor twice while in Thailand.

1) Went to have a vitamin shot I have to take every 3 months I brought it myself.
Conversation with doctor and shot by the doctor
Total $3

2) Fever for 2 days and feeling shitty.
Conversation with doctor, 5 days supply of the generic Tamiflu they use, 5 days of antibiotics, strong aspirins, some mineral powder and a shot of something I forgot to ask about $30. The doctor wanted to keep me a day on a drip and for observation but I wanted to go home instead but that night would have costs me about $50 in single room.

3) Talked to someone there that brought in a6 year old girl that had swallowed a ear ring.
2 X-rays of the stomach and a colon rinse since it were almost out $25

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Slick

Ha ha ha, that's one of those words that even though I know it's spelled wrong, I always spelled that way. I gotta break myself out of that. That's just like the word "definately" that's how my mind always types it even though I know it's spelled definitely.

As far as the prescription goes, I actually didn't have the option to take the prescription to Wal-Mart, it was after 9, and they just handed us the bottle. Wouldn't you if you could charge $58 dollars for it, ha ha.

Babaganoosh

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Slick

Ha ha ha, yeah, ain't that the truth.

u-Bob

People go to the ER for a small cut? Don't you have a GP?

baddog

Once again, the cost of over reacting. The kid would have survived waiting until Walmart opened in the morning.

D Ghost

yeah it's a racket, out of control and just plain robbery.

D Ghost

Yeah I lived in Singapore for 2 years, and also just like the WHO, found that their system is MUCH more quality than the U.S. one.

I love how the U.S. markets itself as the best country on the planet, except it's never on the tops of these types of lists, just the money ranking lists.

96ukssob

the sad part is that the hospital probably make less than $5 from you coming in there too.

medical supplies is a HUGE business raping hospitals which they turn around and rape you right back.

my gf's mom works at a vets office and they use the exact same supplies that hospitals use (scissors, tape, etc.) and they are 1/10 the price

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BradM

There's a massive vein in the ear, she would have bled out don'tchaknow.

beemk

mabye you should open up your own hospital and do it cheaper since you know so much about how to run one.

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Gerco

Hospital has basically put me into bankruptcy, and I had insurance. I have been having bad chest pains now of and on for about 5 years. Serious ones where I actually start sweating, my arms will go numb etc. During the "attacks" I'm out of breath just walking 20 feet.

So onto the hospital. Test after test, stress tests (3 of them) EKG's electro cardio grams 2 separate stays at the hospital one for 3 days one for a week. Total running bill over 200k covered by insurance, 15k... because I didn't talk with them on the first major attack (basically thinking it was a heart attack at 10pm) and I didn't get their doctors referral to goto the emergency room. (again at 10pm) WTF! so I'm spouse to call up my insurance company before going to ER? Tack on the surgery I had to have cause I was bleeding to death, (literally) and it was the same basic run around. Then to top it all off, they canceled my policy, and no other insurance will now take it due to it all being a "pre existing" condition. Great. Oh, and what have the doctors figured out after all this time and money? That I'm perfectly healthy and they can't find anything causing the problem. So, now I still have the issue, nothing has been diagnosed as to the problem by the doctors, yet the insurance companies can issue a pre existing condition on a non diagnosed problem? This system is so fucked up you want to scream.

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Broda

No kidding. My wife was in London on a holiday recently and caught some illness. She went to the ER and was treated without anyone even asking to see any social security ID or anything. And, she's - clearly - not even British. She had to wait for an hour or so, for her turn, though, hehe.

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baddog

Why would you go to an ER instead of just a doctor's office?

Iron Fist

Yes, and from what I learned it helps pay for all the "overhead" as well. Yeah that girl who runs around getting paid for doing sweet fuck all.. yeah, your paying for her salary too....

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Ross

While I can't remember the last time I was in hospital I will say I am glad to know that if anything major goes wrong with me I will be taken care of by the UK NHS.

I can't believe the Hospitals in the US can get away with charging what they do to your Health Insurance companies. Its insane and yo guys defo need some sort of reform. All these company CEO's etc getting very wealthy while everyone else goes broke trying to pay for it. Nuts.

L-Pink

When your average working person can be priced out of health care the nation really needs to look at overhauling costs. Insured or not.


.

The Hans

The Healthcare system in the US is a huge issue. Personally I blame insurance companies for being so greedy

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pornguy

Yeah I totally agree with that.



they why do so many people go to the US for care???

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crockett

Dud last time I went to the emergency room it was because I was in a car wreck. I wasn't hurt but needed to get my neck checked out.

I sat in the emergency room for a hour and a half before the fuckers even checked me out. Mind you there was only 2 other people in the emergency room lobby waiting to be treated so it wasn't like some busy ass hospital.

After a hour and a half they check me out and decide to put me in a neck brace, just in case". I mean we all know that after a hour and a half in the waiting room it's pretty important to do a neck brace.

Well the thing was cheap ass crap, probably cost a 5 dollars in any 3rd world county and probably $1 to produce in China. When I saw the bill they charged $250 bucks for the fucking thing.

The bill was about $1,100 at the end and they didn't do shit but have me wait in the hospital for 4 fucking hours talk to the doctor for literally 5 fucking mins and take 2 x-rays.


Yet ask any Republican and our health care system is awesome..

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Sausage

Same in Australia ... also my new home New Zealand. All got public systems, which I have used on at least 3-4 occasions myself and experienced through others i had to take or help take to the emergency room on another half dozen occasions.

Worst ones, they/I got seen basically instantly, others 15 mins tops .. broke my nose and that took 30 mins to get seen but it was hardly severe. Most occasions they didn't even ask my name or the persons name, got seen, fixed up, no bills whatsoever. Can get bad on a fri sat night here because of all the teens who drink too much or get into trouble, but generally the public system is amazing. Small bit taken out of tax, all government run and anyone can get care. Elective surgery can take a while though.

Of course I you have the option of private cover so you can go into the private hospitals if you want for even better care, but full comprehensive cover for me only costs $80 a month, its no biggie.

split_joel

I do not understand why there is such a need to fix our health care system. I understand its expensive and it sucks to pay it but why do you think so many people come to this country for specialist and surgery? I do not agree with the list posted above I think our health care system is amazing and Ill pay 360 a month for kick ass coverage which i just got *woot* over any free/tax paid government health care.

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Slick

You tell your paranoid wife and child freaking out with a deep bleeding gash on her ear. Plus the ear is a visible spot (of course), so if it wasn't taken care of, I'm sure the scar would've been a lot worse.

If you're talking about just the prescription, I had no control over it, when you're in the ER, they don't ask you, or at least never me anyways, the doctor leaves and the nurse comes in shortly after with either a prescription or in this case, a bottle of medicine. I know with adults, they usually will give you a pill to get ya going then give a prescription, but perhaps in the case where it's liquid Amoxacillin, they had to whip a full bottle rather than partial.

baddog

Here is a free tip that will save you thousands of dollars. Kids freak out because they see the blood. Buy a red washcloth and use that for tending to bleeding wounds.

Tell the wife to toughen up.

And yes, you do have a choice of getting your scrip filled at the hospital or taking it to your pharmacy. You just have to use your head.

After Shock Media

Technically the injury they went for should of went to a much cheaper walk in clinic, or if they were closed waited until morning for the clinic. The prescription should of been waived and filled come morning. There would of been no sterile supplies, or at least much less. Those fee's also include gloves, bedding, sheets, chucks, swabs, i.e. everything used behind those curtains. Then you have the ER fee which would not apply in a clinic situation. What you would have pretty much looked at would of been around 150 - 200 for a clinic visit plus 4-10 bucks for a prescription.

They just used the wrong place for the wrong thing. Unless the ear was bleeding like crazy and would not stop, ear was torn, or something was going to require plastic surgery. The ER was the wrong choice. It also happens to be one of the reasons charges are so damn high.

PS those that keep saying they only saw the doctor for a few minutes, only had a couple x-rays, one or two quick tests, etc. Doctors rarely need to see anyone more than a few minutes anyways for even more serious shit. Typically triage gets your info, nurses get more. By the time the doctor is in with you, they have read it all and checked up on things. They just confirm a few things with you and leave orders. That is their job. Then nurses or techs will do what was told. X-rays are costly, techs are costly, blood tests are not cheap. Then very often they have to run this shit.

Trust me I fucking cringe each time they try to put an IV in me. I know my veins are fucked and there chances of success are around 1:10 unless I can get one of their helicopter EMT's/nurses to try, they get it around 1:3. Back to the point, those IV starting kits, needles, tubing, etc. All fucking expensive and each miss is throwing cash out the window.

Go to court about what? Them charging you for services rendered? Any of which you can deny having given to you, assuming your of sound mind.

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