crazy hospital bill

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I got the hospital bill in the mail for my 2 month "vacation"

$770,000 dollars. That's insane. Luckily I just have to pay a 500 dollar deductible or I'd be sunk.

Comments

Wow!

That's incredible, but what's more incredible is because you have insurance, they will probably negotiate away about a third to half of that, but some poor schmuck without insurance would be stuck with the whole amount. Then he would have to bankrupt, and they would pass it back to the rest of us in terms of even higher bills, and the cycle would go on and on. That's how we ended up with bills like this in the first place.

Thanks to Obamacare we have a chance at breaking this cycle, and people like you don't have to declare bankruptcy, AND YET, there are still people out there who curse him for it. Go figure.

I'm glad you are better and that you have insurance. Congratulations on both.

Waterdog

Wow!

That shows how bloated (financially) the US Healthcare system is.
My mother (93 in a few weeks) spent almost three months in Hospital last year. I shudder to think how much that would have cost if it had happened in the USA.

I hope you are properly on the mend now Katie. We don't want to see you back in Hospital.

My Travel insurance has Medical cover of up to £3,000,000. I wonder if that is enough?

my insurance is both worse and better since ACA

MadTech01's picture

My Deductible went from flat $2,500 to $5,000 then they cover half up to $10,000 then I no long pay anything for the year.
Yes my Meds and visits, now count towards my deductible, but the cost more at each visit.
I no longer have a lifetime maximum coverage of $2 million, t has no cap now
they can't drop me because I am having to use it, and there are no more pre-existing conditions.

Last year I had 2 emergency room visits that were $500 for basically walking in then I got an extra $1,800 bill for receiving 3 medication injections.

The affordable Care Act did a loot of good but it did not actually work as promised.
The other thing that burns me is that I make too much to get help paying for it but I end up spending a 1/3 my total income for the year in medical bills.
I am actually having to go to the doctor less because I now cant afford it if they want tests.

Read your coverage and be sure your deductible is $500 and that was not just your co-pay, because you might have another bill to pay to reach your yearly deductible, if you are good I need to know what insurance you have.

"Cortana is watching you!"

If they want to get prices

Domoviye's picture

If they want to get prices down, it's pretty simple.
1) make it harder to sue a hospital. Because of the ease of suing hospitals for anything, half of the bill is simply to cover insurance, lawyers and administrative fees.
2) Let insurance companies sell insurance over state lines. Medical insurance is the only type of insurance that is limited by state borders. Compare how much auto insurance costs to medical.

The plan made up by Obama has only raised insurance rates for 90% of the population. It's the worst of both socialized government mandated care and private insurance. Either go all the way or remove some of the regulations, half measures seldom work.