Total Cost of Her COVID-19 Treatment: $34,927.43

[Crunchy Frog]

https://time.com/5806312/coronavirus-treatment-cost/

When Danni Askini started feeling chest pain, shortness of breath and a migraine all at once on a Saturday in late February, she called the oncologist who had been treating her lymphoma. Her doctor thought she might be reacting poorly to a new medication, so she sent Askini to a Boston-area emergency room. There, doctors told her it was likely pneumonia and sent her home.

Over the next several days, Askini saw her temperature spike and drop dangerously, and she developed a cough that gurgled because of all the liquid in her lungs. After two more trips to the ER that week, Askini was given a final test on the seventh day of her illness, and once doctors helped manage her flu and pneumonia symptoms, they again sent her home to recover. She waited another three days for a lab to process her test, and at last she had a diagnosis: COVID-19.

A few days later, Askini got the bills for her testing and treatment: $34,927.43. “I was pretty sticker-shocked,” she says. “I personally don’t know anybody who has that kind of money.”

SHE WAS NEVER HOSPITALIZED


This country is really fucked.

[The Wielding Truth]

1. Was she positive? Was she then treated? Cost?

[Crunchy Frog]

2. She tested positive and was sent home.

[LisaL]

4. I was just thinking, it would have been astronomical if she had to be attached to a ventilator.

[magicarpet]

3. If she can not afford the bill she should contact state health authorities or call the local....

... United Fund office for help/suggestions.

[SWBTATTReg]

5. We all know that med. bills are in the sky, and I've seen (from mine and friends), ...

med. bills just as high for other things, that folks were in there for overnight observation only, bill was over +$25 k, a huge amount.

[Ex Lurker]

6. Dirtly little secret

If you go the ER and it doesn't result in an admission, your insurance will often refuse to cover it.

[LisaL]

7. She doesn't have insurance.

[jimfields33]

9. I think one of the bills going through will pass these cost along to government

[Hoyt]

8. She is also applying for retroactive Medicaid which she will likely get. Medicaid will pay them

$5,000 or so at most -- may $10,000 if she was hospitalized for several days -- and the rest will be written off. It looks like she had at least 3 trips to ER, and went in complaining of chest pain, headaches, etc. They probably ran a bunch of tests.

Medicare is paying roughly $51 for the actual coronavirus test, Medicaid usually pays less than Medicare. Private insurance is probably a little more than $51.

The worst thing to happen to the ACA was losing the expanded Medicaid coverage in the original legislation.