Yesterday I received the itemized bill for Zach's hernia surgery. Wow! I knew our healthcare system is "broken" but I was reminded again, just how badly. I don't think government involvement is the answer, but I can definitely see the brokenness.
Zach was under medical care for about two-and-a-half hours. The bill? $8832.73 All I can say is thank God for good insurance! I only have to pay $280 in co-pays.
A fifteen minute surgery and it's almost ten thousand dollars! I am blown away by the inflated cost of everything. But even more blown away by the thought of trying to fix it. Like I said before, government involvement is not the answer. What has the government done a better, cheaper job with?
But charging that much money is criminal. I wonder how much I would be charged if I didn't have insurance?
Here are some of the costs:
Steri strip to hold the sutures closed: $22 (I think a box of them are less than $5 at CVS)
15 minutes in recovery: $438; $648; $683; $1212 (all depending on how long after the surgery it was)
Tylenol with codeine - 2teaspoons: $63.10 (I got the prescription for $5)
Sterile supplies (including the steri strips) $524
Crazy! But what to do?? Something needs to happen! But how? What? Requiring everyone to have insurance doesn't seem like it would make a difference. Especially when people can't afford it. The people I know who don't have insurance WANT insurance, they just can't afford it. Making it a requirement doesn't automatically make it attainable. Crazy!
Thanks for letting me rant!
2 comments:
When I had Mike I didn't do it the normal way, after 36 hours they took him by c-section. Since I was in the delivery room for a few minutes, then surgery and the hospital for a day the finally cost to have him, $18,634.00. To have a baby, 18 years ago. When we looked at the bill, there were things on there that never happened, we never saw, never used. My part of the co-pay was $1200.00 but after going over the bill and saying no this and no that we ended up with $800.00. It is just amazing how much things cost.
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Take care and God Bless!!!
I'm hoping the cost of medical care goes down when we don't have to pay for the uninsured. Again, I said I'm HOPING!!!
Don't get me started on costs!
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