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The Kitchen Table

Hospital Bill

17 years ago

Our daughter-in-law had twins 3 weeks ago today. She was on bedrest at the hospital for 18 days before having the babies. They got the bill for her stay. It was $45,000. She had been in for 5 days in January and the bill was $20,000. They went through IVF and it was almost $20,000 ( they paid this part ). I can't begin to imagine how much the babies part will be. They have been there 3 weeks and will probably be there another week. Thankfully they have good insurance. We are already over $85,000 that we know of.. I can't help but think of the people that don't have good insurance or don't have any.. So scarey..

Susie

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Comments (8)

lucinda_grow
17 years ago
My aunt who has only medicare was in the hospital for 6 days last month. She was realeased from the hospital to get a cysto and a ct scan. Medicare pays more for these as out patient services now. I never thought i'd see the day when a sick person had to leave a hospital to get health care.The bill for 5 days in care was $33,000.
donna_oh
17 years ago
My BIL had a stint put in at Cleve Clinic--Had to be there at noon, did procedure & was discharged next day at 8am! $98,000.00

Too long a story why he had to go to Cleve-

Donna (^_^)
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angelaid
17 years ago
Don't even get me started. I'm slowly paying off about 13,000.00 in medical bills right now. I pay 489.00 a month for health insurance that doesn't cover a **** thing unless I'm terminal.
I'm the caretaker for a friend in acute renal failure. Got him out of the hospital about two weeks ago. His bills are starting to pour in now. Over 70,000.00 so far. No insurance and county assistance won't help until I can prove he's already been denied SSD and SSI. In fact, I need to start putting all the stuff together for those applications this weekend.
workoutlady
17 years ago
My mom was in the hospital for 2 months in 1997 (she passed away at the hospital.) Anyway, her bill then was just over $500,000. That was over 10 years ago. I can't imagine her bill now.
vannie
17 years ago
I made a trip to the ER and was billed $6,000. Sad thing they didn't do much for me.
azzalea
17 years ago
Why do you think your bill is so high?

Cost shifting.

Because there ARE a lot of people who have no insurance or insurance that limits the amount dr's are allowed to charge. DH had his gaul bladder out about 6 months ago. How much did the dr. charge? $750, that's all--because that's all our insurance allows. And dr. CANNOT come to us for more because of the insurance contract.

Health care, utility companies, and many other services are charging those who do pay extra to cover those who don't. And so many people aren't even aware of it.
susie53_gw
Original Author
17 years ago
I agree. A few years ago I fell and broke my arm pretty bad and had to have surgery and all. By the time I was done it ended up costing $64,000. I know had we not had good insurance it would not have cost a fraction of this.
It is a shame it is this way.

Susie
sephia
17 years ago
I had a sleep study done in January. I have very good insurance - all I ever have to pay is a $15.00 co-pay. I received the statement from my insurance company and saw that the total for the study was $5800.00, and that the doctor was paid $842.00. I had an ititial moment of panic before I read the rest of the statement and got to the "patient responsibility" part and saw that it said 0. My initial panic was wondering what my portion was going to be because the doctor only received $842.00 - out of a total $5800.00.

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