Holy hospital bill, Batman!

Cicerogirl, The PhD
Version
on 3/11/12 2:39 pm - OH

I just opened the insurance EOB for the hospital charges from my recent visit to the ER when my PT/INR was too high and I had the spontaneous bleeding from my nose/sinus cavity. I went in to the ER and then spent 4 days in what they call an "advanced care" unit (a level between a regular room/unit and intensive care). The room charge alone was almost $14,000! That's crazy! Its a good thing they didn't actually DO much other than give me pain meds, run bloodwork twice a day, and give me 5 or 6 units of frozen plasma because, even though the "allowable" portion of the charges is significantly less than half of the billed amount, my portion of the bill is over $1900! Ouch. I now know where my income tax refund is going to have to go. :(

Lora

14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained

You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.

april89love
on 3/11/12 2:48 pm - NC

RNY on 03/16/11

That stinks!! American health care is very expensive. I think I will go to Mexico from now on if it is something I can plan ahead for.

Sandy

HW 225, SW 219, GW 140, CW 124

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

seattledeb
on 3/11/12 3:28 pm

RNY on 12/22/08

Hospital bills post kidney transplant are kinda fun. I will have NO problem meeting my deductible.

rbb825
on 3/11/12 4:16 pm - Suffern, NY

RNY on 10/27/08

that is disgusting - I am sorry you have to pay so much out of pocket.

From Oct 2010 to Feb 2011 - I was in the Hospital for 1 week first time, then 1 week in rehab, then ER, then 6 weeks in Hosp, with 2 week of convalescent hosp, and then tons of nursing care at home and PT and then back to hosp in Feb for 4th and final surgery for 2 more weeks and then home with more nursing - total bill for entire thing was $750,000 with everything - hospitals, surgeons, anestesias, testings, everything - thankfully I have great insurance and didnt' have to pay a penny.

Health care is crazy.

That didnt 'count the 3 surgeries for kidney stones this year with 10 day hospital stays - I dont think Medicare is too fond of me

nfarris79
on 3/11/12 8:42 pm - Germantown, MD

RNY on 04/13/11

Dang! I'm so sorry you got stuck with such a high bill!!!

First ultra: Stone Mill 50 miler 11/15/14 13:44:38, First Full Marathon: Marine Corps 10/27/13 4:57:11, Half Marathon PR 2:04:43 at Shamrock VA Beach Half-Marathon, 12/2/12 First Half-Marathon 2:32:47, 5K PR Run Under the Lights 5K 27:23 on 11/23/13, 10K PR 52:53 Pike's Peek 10K 4/21/13, (1st timed run) Accumen 8K 51:09 10/14/12.

(deactivated member)
on 3/11/12 10:54 pm

I got my bills recently from my RNY. I have great insurance, but according to my bills and EOBs, the surgery and related health costs came to about $39,000. I have a coinsurance payment of $4,500 so I have to come up with that somehow. And to add insult to injury, I owe $500 on my taxes this year between federal and state even though I was a first time home buyer in 2011! I don't qualify for any of the tax breaks. I literally made like $10 too much. ugh. No idea how I'm going to swing this.

Nikia S.
on 3/11/12 11:43 pm - Garland, TX

Alot of hospitals have charity programs to help pay for your bills. Check with their billing dept. You will be suprised at how your income may still qualify you . Good luck!

Nikia S. ~~My not yet is way better than my right now~~
HW-339 Preop-331 SW-313

MichelleNC
on 3/12/12 12:17 am

OUCH that hurts! It is crazy how much they bill for hospital stays!

Michelle
Did the happy dance onto the Loser's Bench March 18, 2013!

Visit my blog at http://skinnyundermyfat.blogspot.com/

H.A.L.A B.
on 3/12/12 12:56 am, edited 3/12/12 12:56 am

RNY on 05/14/08

Thanks for sharing Lora.
That why I am so careful to suggest to anyone to rush to ER when they have some issues that may be dealt in doc office. In case of real emergency - it is a must (as in your case) but so many ER visits can be avoided.

Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG

"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"

"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."

Cicerogirl, The PhD
Version
on 3/12/12 1:31 am - OH

RNY on 08/27/07

Yes, I have been in the ER several times in the past 2 years (the kidney stones, the intermittent abdominal pain that turned out to be the intestine attached to the mesh, and 2 incidents of blood thinner issues), and even with insurance it has been expensive (I pay 15%). Even though I have a decent income, because I am single (so the only one paying all the bills) and have lots of education-related costs, it has been a challenge to keep up with the medical bills.

If I think there is any way I am not endangering myself by waiting to see the doctor the next day, or am in pain so severe that I cannot tolerate it, I won't go to the ER (and i always try to talk them out of admitting me when they want to do that, LOL... I've only had that work once, though).

Lora

14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained

You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.

Holy hospital bill, Batman!

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Holy hospital bill, Batman!