My wife ended up in the ER for two hours. Cost: $4500

[stopbush]

She had an SVT incident when she arrived at her swim coach job a couple of weeks ago. Her colleagues thought the symptoms were that of a heart attack, so they called me and called an ambulance as well.

Thankfully, everything turned out fine. Then we got the bill. I don't know if that $4500 is before the bill has been submitted to our insurance. We have Kaiser, and even though my wife informed the EMTs about that, they took her to the ER at Hoag, which is right across the street from Kaiser. There was a number provided where we can call for financial assistance, and we will be doing that as our income sucks these days.

[KT2000]

1. our medical system is absurd

I hope it works out for you.

[Kablooie]

2. Kaiser pays for emergency care at other hospitals.

Weve been in that situation.
All we paid was our 45$ copay.
The hospital did send us the bill which was scary but Kaiser told us to ignore it, they would pay.

[sprinkleeninow]

3. Glad she received a not scary diagnosis.

I went in 2011. Felt like I was 'on my way out'.
Infection. Bill was $15,000+. We paid nothing close to that, but still and all. They tried to charge me for some yucky 'lemonade tasting stuff' b4 a midsection CT scan. I refused drinking it. 🤤 They did it without. Tried to charge us though. And it wasn't a couple bucks either. Gotta go over statements with a fine toothed comb.

[democratisphere]

4. The cost of $4500.00 for 2 hours at the ER is symptomatic

of the American Criminal Enterprise Healthcare System we have in the US. Interesting how Congress doesn't do a GD thing about the outrageous healthcare costs in our screwed up country.

[Aussie105]

5. Now, take me for example . . .

No medical insurance at all beyond what the Government provides.

I was at work, teaching, got headspins, needed to vomit. Went and hid from the students, puked into a trash can until there was nothing left to puke. Eyes firmly closed against the dizziness and the bright lights.

Got an ambulance, ET treatment, suspected heart attack or stroke, scans, the works. Nothing found.
Was there from early Friday morning to Saturday morning. Conclusion? Inner ear infection, I was being seasick!
Wife picked me up, me staggering out to the car like a drunk because my balance was way off.

Anyhow, no bill, ever. Except the $800 for the ambulance, which I promptly and gladly paid.

I live in Australia.

America, time to get serious about affordable, universal health care!

[safeinOhio]

6. Hospital cost sky rocketed after 1973.

"Nixon signed into law, the Health Maintenance Organization Act of 1973, in which medical insurance agencies, hospitals, clinics and even doctors, could begin functioning as for-profit business entities instead of the service organizations they were intended to be."

Capitalism came to health care, the rest is history.

[Scarsdale]

7. I went to the clinic

for an MRI. Was in the machine 1 hour, then went home. Bill - $8,000. Medicare plus my insurance paid for it. My sister collapsed at home, her husband called the ambulance. Taken to hospital, in traction for a hairline fracture of her hip for 6 weeks. Then transferred to a rehab facility for 4 weeks. Meanwhile the visiting nurse inspected their home, to be sure no safety hazards would impede her when she got home. Cost? No bills. They live in the UK, under that "horrible National Health Service" we all hear about.

[Ghost Dog]

8. Is that an itemized bill?

Perhaps it includes unjustifiable items and/or costs and is in fact fraudulent.

[stopbush]

9. Yes, it's itemized.

A few of the charges:

ER - $2831
Lab - $1310
EKG - $380

[question everything]

10. Call Kaiser and ask

[stopbush]

11. Checked out the KP website. She needs to call Hoag and ask them to submit

a form to KP so KP can process the claim. Already got the form# from KP.