$3,000 ER Visit?!

[Timothy]

My wife had to be seen in the ER recently and we just got the bills for it today. Since we don't have health insurance, it's going to cost us a whopping $3,000! They're basically charging us a grand for the ambulance ride, another grand for the ER visit, and a grand for the procedure the doctor performed. They also sent paperwork for us to fill out to see if we qualify for financial assistance; I really hope we do!!

Where do they get off charging that much?!

 

[On The Mark]

I agree, medical expenses are outrageous. But what are you going to do if you break your leg? It's a service and a monopoly all rolled into one.

 

[Zimmer]

I think our heath care systems is sick and it's about time we cure it. We are one of the richest countries in the world and yet it costs an arm and a leg to make a visit to the doctor.

 

[Sinbian]

I think our heath care systems is sick and it's about time we cure it. We are one of the richest countries in the world and yet it costs an arm and a leg to make a visit to the doctor.

It literally may cost you an arm and a leg if you don't have enough money to go to the doctors. It should be funny but why am I not laughing?

 

[Victor]

Ouch, Timothy, I'm sorry. I hope you get financial assistance to pay this bill off. Is there any way you can get health insurance for the future?

 

[Timothy]

Victor, unfortunately I can't get health insurance until the end of this year, and that's only if I'm able to keep the job I currently have. That's up in the air at this point, but a completely different subject.

All I know is, right now I'm really wishing we had a universal healthcare plan like a lot of the European countries out there...

 

[Andersson]

I really hate to say it but that is actually quite cheap. We had a spill last year that resulted in a full day stay at the hospital, being taken there by the EMS and after using insurance (with a great deductible) it was close to nine grand out of pocket!

 

[stewy]

I don't know how you guys manage! I'm in the UK so we have the NHS. We pay into this all our working lives, but we don't really notice because it's an amount that is deducted from our wages, along with Income Tax, before we even receive our money.

 

[Timothy]

Andersson, I know we did get off cheap relatively speaking, as my nephew was in a car wreck recently and wound up with almost $100,000 in medical bills. Still, $3,000 is more money than we see in about two months and we don't have anywhere near that much set aside in savings. I called them about it though and they are sending out an application for financial assistance. Hopefully we'll qualify.

 

[Chrisitan]

The cost of anything medical is outrageous. If the Canadians can sell medicine of some sorts for a few cents per pill, then we should be able to too. Everything is out of control and it's not going to get any better as far as I can see.

 

[polamalu43]

$1000 for the ambulance ride? $1000 for the doctors procedure is cheap! Have you checked in to government assisted insurance? I complain about my healthcare premiums but I am super glad I have insurance.

 

[Timothy]

Pola - I'm not sure what you mean by government assisted insurance. You're not talking about Medicaid, are you? My wife had it when she was pregnant but they terminated her coverage not long after our son was born.