With all the talk of health care reform, I thought it might be interesting for folks to post some real-world ridiculous health care cost you have seen on an actual hospital or medical bill.

Example (fictional):

Fifty bucks for two aspirin during my over-night stay in the hospital.

I have heard many exclamations over the years from relatives or friends that have either been in the hospital, or had to under-go certain medical testing procedures.

Here's one real-world example... my mother was sent by her regular physician to a podiatrist. The podiatrist recommended she get some special insoles for her shoes. She ordered them at his request. When she got the bill, the insurance company refused to pay for them, and she was sent a bill for $400 for two insoles.

Later, she found the very similar product in a mail order catalog... for $9.95... and she said the one's she bought from the mail-order company fit her feet much better than the ones specially fit and ordered by the podiatrist.

She has no recompence or way to get her money back for the $400 she spent in the medical system.

Perhaps you have heard of some ridiculous medical bill or story?

Rather than arguing health care issues here (as in current events, etc...) simply tell us your ridiculous health care expense story.



Telephoneman.

Right now I'm on my 3rd antibiotic and 2nd dose of steroids and an inhaler, and nose spray for asthmatic bronchitis with wheezing lungs.

My 2nd antibiotic was $185.00.

Ten years ago I had an ear infection in the cartilage and the medicine cost $300.00.

These are not the worst problems that I've had with costs but they're the ones that came to the top of my head at this late hour.

My cousin got a bill for upwards of 20 grand for a two night stay at a hospital because she was short of breath. A below par room, a stiff bed, and some needles and fancy machines for two nights at 10 grand a night. Thank God her husband had insurance. She had been better off hiring a private nurse and getting a vip room at one of the casinos for that price. When I am insured I dont pay attention to the bills.... when I am not insured, I am too terrified of the debt to even step in a doctors office.

My cousin probably has a broken foot. She won't see a doctor because she has no insurance. She's been hoping for over a month that her foot will get better.

I'm going to her mother's memorial service this weekend. Her mother is my Aunt.

I know the feeling... I was uninsured for over ten years from 1996 to 2006...

Hospital systems have some of the most ruthless collection agency tactics, too. I ran up a bill for $300 to a registered dietician (at the request of my doctor) and they hounded me sometimes three calls a day, 7 days a week for weeks... it was most terrifying... through that experience I learned that you can demand they do not harrass you... wow... I thought they were suppose to concentrate on healing people...

So much for capitalism I guess...

I just went for my annual Physical exam and Blood work.
I paid a Grand Total of $15 copay

I just got the Statement from Blue Cross:

Dr. Visit and Physical Exam -
Dr. billed $224 and was Paid $160

Lab for complete blood work -
Lab billed $338 and was paid $44

Total cost to me = $15
Total amount billed by labs & docs = $562
Total amount paid by Blue Cross to docs & lab = $204

I could see where if somebody doesn't have insurance, they are not even going to want to go get a check up at the doctor because they are going to get stuck with a $562 BILL!!! Just for a check up!!

Threw out my back.
The hospital is across the street, but I can't walk.
Ambulance trip of 200ft......$950!!!

No insurance...eat healthy, work out..
Have learned to heal myself and my children.
I have gotten VERY creative!

Me too for the most part as long as I don't break any bones or come up with some funky unusual disease.

my dialysis is roughly $500 per treatment

three days a week

forever

How much should a complete physical cost???

well maybe not forever

just till I die

Personally we hear people saying that doctors are not reimbursed correctly. I don't really believe that, I think they inflate their charges and what they actually get back is probably more than they actually deserve. Some of the things they charge huge prices for to the insurance companies are insanely high.

I know that a lady at a hospital once sat with me and went through all the hospital charges, and she cut them all by half or more, then sent the bill where ever she sent it. Even at half they were outrageously insane.

You'll get your new kidney before that happens....

Uninsured people that go to the ER are charged more then the people with insurance. It's because of the contracts that the insurances have with the hospitals.

Doctors do inflate the charges like that, Boo. It's kind of like the general contractor that charges the home insurance a high price but if you are paying it, they lower the price.

Yes, he will.

I do think we need health care reform of some kind....I just don't totally agree with this new one

I worked at a diagnostic center doing medical billing. That was 5 yrs ago and some things may have change...but probably not much

let's say a procedure costs $1000
private insurance (and this differs) would say we only allow $800 for the procedure (medicare/medicaid is usually less)....this would be th contractual price. it is part of the "benefit" to be providers of the insurance

ok...the cost is $1000....insurance allows $800. the patient either pays a flat copay or a percentage (depending on their plan....the percentage is based on the contractual price...not the facility price)

after the insurance pays and the patient pays their parts...the facility writes off the difference. by contract with that insurance company...they can't charge the patient or insurance for that difference

now for a self pay patient....they are charged the total of $1000. there isn't a different price....one gets written off because of the contract and the other is charged completely

Nifty OP.... It gets right down to business.

Makes you wonder if or why pharmacuetical companies arejackign up prices.

I have always said, almost 20% of our total healthcare costs could be done away with if we just used generic brand medication.

I think i know why the expense of everything else has skyrocketed. It's kinda like a snowball affect. Look how many people have to get paid from a simple visit.

Dr. Berry in Tennesee doesn't accept medicare/medicade/or any other government insurer.

He discourages the use of any other insurance unless the expenses are catastophic.

Cost of a routine check up = $35

Patients are often able to make same-day appointments to see him directly.

I wonder if this would be worth looking into...