NC Penguin

As some of you may recall, my FIL had an emergency triple bypass a few months back. He's in good shape now and visited me for Thanksgiving.

During the Thanksgiving visit, my MIL gave me the low down on the financial cost of the surgery.

The hospital in Cleveland charged my FIL's health insurance company $55,000 for the triple bypass surgery itself. This was negotiated down by the health insurance provider to $38,000!

That's not all the cost of course. I wasn't told the cost of the x-rays, anesthesiologist, meds prescribed and taken post-op, etc. Any specialist involved in the surgery and post-op also sent their own bill too!

I don't know how much my FIL's share of the cost was. I know he did have cover through his employer.

The figures were quite astonishing to me! Another reason to look after one's health and get some kind of insurance for those unexpected events in life!

AmerLisa

I agree you should look after your health. But, sometimes its not what you do and how your body is. Sorry, if that didn't make sense. Anyway....I've known people that have been bankrupt because of medical bills over here. I think you'd have to spend a lot of money on health insurance to be covered completely.

Glad you're FIL made a good recovery. My grandfather had the operation twice and lived to tell the tales.

Bob

Aye, MIL, back in the day when pregnant with my missus went bankrupt cos the health insurance company went tits-up and they were left with $30K fee for delivery....and BIL, when he broke an arm, cost $7K to get it re-aligned and cast, had insurance for that one though

Sophia_S

'Lucky as I am!',I had what I thought was the start of summer flu or something,after going down to my washer in the basement, I could just about drag myself back upstairs,and called my neighbour for help,he called the ambulance and they started rushing me to the hospital covered by my health insurance but then decided,after I was hooked up to the heart monitor,that I was actually having a heart attack and raced me to the nearest hospital,where they hooked me up to an angio monitor and I could see for myself that the blood was pumping out of the right artery in little puffs!,the surgeon immediately put in three stents which have taken care of the situation ever since.......we got the bill for my three night stay,and all,$36,664,of which we just had to pay $200 and something,which was our co-pay,we certainly weren't about to complain!....Oh and I'd never had high cholesterol,blood pressure or any other signs........it was apparently caused by sleep apnea,which I'd had since having brainstem encephilitis,14 years before,my doc said he thinks I may have fractured my nose when I passed out with the encephilitis,because I'd never snored in my life before then,after the heart thingy the doc prescribed a pump thing that I have to wear at night while I sleep,it forces air up my nose(very sexy!!!lol)and I haven't snored since the first night I started using it.......and, my cardiologist discharged me from my annual check-ups back in September!....Sophia (Illinois)
p.s. Anyone who snores and knows they stop breathing as well,go get it checked out A.S.P......thats sleep apnea!!!!!,the stopping breathing puts a huge strain on the heart,thats what caused my right coronery artery to literally tear in three places,it was actually hanging together by a single thread,the doc said that I would've died that night if it hadn't been caught when it was!!!!!...kind of scarey!!!!

Manc

My wife had stomach surgery last year.
$72,000 was charged to BC/BS from the hospital.

extortion and no mistake.

ScousePete

Did you have any co-pay with that, Matt?

Manc

$1000 out of pocket expenses.

Taffyles

My daughter had a baby 8 weeks ago...normal delivery, 3 hour labour, no stitches, no Docotor needed....$17,000. She opted to stay 2 nights instead of 1 though and she did request the pediatrician (who took all of 10 mins to check the baby over and charged $340!). My daughter had a 20% co-payh but luckily she'd taken out supplementary insurance with Aflac..so all she had to pay was approx $400.
Nowadays, health insurance alone isn't enough, you have to take out supplementary insurance to be well covered for everything.

tony126

Just had the first of many bills for my recent total hip replacement op. That was $22881 but I know the rest is coming. However I am fully covered except for $100 co-pay. It will be interesting to tot up the final figures. I am not complaining one bit as I had excellent care but I do think about those who do not have any cover at all.

Franklin

Yes, but if you use your Brit credit card and get reimbursed in US $$$ ... hey, you will make a tidy profit! Now, I am not suggesting anyone try this out, well not until April 1st, 2005.

supernav

These high fees are necessary to keep up the high standard of healthcare that is available in the US. And to pay for ever-expanding facilities, technologies and new personnel to handle increasing populations.

Cuz lord knows, the illegal, poor and criminal elements sure aren't paying for their healthcare. And since the government constantly low-balls hospitals on their treatment (ala Canada's approach to healthcare) -- it's the only avenue where hospital and doctors can make any noticable profit to keep their facilities from buckling under from heavy costs.

If you want the world's greatest technology and expertise at your disposal when you are faced with life-threatening illnesses -- remember, someone, someplace, has to pay for it, and someone, someplace, has to profit from it in order to warrant 5,000 hours of reading a book and getting up in the morning to face a grueling 14 hour schedule.

-= nav =-

AmerLisa

Gee, and the illegal, poor and criminals aren't human and don't deserve adequate care....without going into massive debt?!? We aren't exactly poor, nor are we illegal or criminals....yet we are part of the "great uninsured of America." My husband has medical insurance through his company....its a load of crap! The total coverage - and I mean total - is $15,000 max! He pays about $100 a month for this priviledge - yippeee!!! My daughter and I are not covered. Now I should be able to find a decent coverage for a three year old (oh yes we have to find our own insurance), but for me I might have a bit more trouble. Seems as if I could be turned down.....not insured by anyone, either that or pay massive premiums.....the choice is so appealing and appalling.

Some day we will be on the better side of health insurance, I'm very sure of it. But, in the meantime I can see what the "other side" is going through and its not a very happy sight.

Duncs

Thats just the time to fill out all the insurance forms and administration. Approximately 36% of the cost in fact according to a recent survey.

The worst heathcare system in the industrialised world, absolutely no doubt.

supernav

If you want emergency care. Sure. It's an important function of a civilized country.

But what gives you the right to stick me with the bill?

1) Emergency treatment is a right.

2) FREE Emergency treatment is *not* a right.

_big_ difference.

Every hospital in the country stays afloat by billing the working-class, or billing the government, which in turns bills the working class through taxes.

Some pats on the back of your local working class american should be in order.

-= nav =-

Bob

Yeah, thing is, with all these costs...it ain't great service in a lot of places, only if your lucky and in a major city, any other city and the healthcare is crap.