Damn!

You are darn right that medical care cost in the US is truly outrageous as I have learned yesterday when I received my medical bill from the Ozarks Medical Center. I told the hubby that I was in shock when I saw how much they charged us but I didn't tell him that I almost fainted so much I felt dizzy by looking at the bill over and over hoping that it was a typo and there was an extra 1 in front of the 269.50$!

A stupid accident, long story short, it left me with severely bruised fingers on both hands and some back pains. Looking on how my fingers were taking an alarming shade of purple, the hubby took me to the emergency room.

I was treated nicely, they took 6 x-rays, 3 for each hands and one for my back, was assured that nothing was broken, provided with a set of splints for the MD felt that even tho the x-rays didn't reveal anything significant that the bones in my thumbs were the hardest to look at, so the splints were mostly preventive, wasn't given any medication against the pain beside being told, take some tylenol and we were off on our merry way.

Total cost, a whopping 1269.50$

I can agree that some fees should be paid like the x-ray technician and the MD medical expertise but beyond that, being charged 700$ for 7 x-rays is borderline ludicrous!!!

As I told the hubby, it is one thing to pay for the medical personnel and staff but it is another to pay for their medical equipment! Not to mention that I checked online for the cost of x-ray films and you can get a 100 sheet for the low price of 29$ ?!?

I also checked just for kicks how much 2 round trip air fare from St-Louis to Mexico city would cost, seems that we could leave in less than 24h for the low price of 410$ per seat, get medical treatment and a week under the mexican sun for the same price we were charged for a few x-rays and medical services

Ya betcha it's a conspiracy Sancho!

I am glad you are ok and that you were given the appropriate care for a fair price instead of eye gouging ones that I am staring at right now, not to mention excellent drugs to ease your burns

Frankly, if we have had that kind of money at hand, We would probably be visiting some mayan ruins and having a great time instead of me cussing at how high the price of health care is in the US.

We will pay them, even if payments are some 20$ a month, we will pay those vultures. Heck, next time around, I just might purchase those x-ray films for 29$ and tell them to use those

Many years ago at a computer conference, my boss gave a speech. The only part of his speech I remember was 'Do not fry bacon in the nude'. I never forgot that, and frequently remind my husband when he cooks breakfast to remove his bathrobe which has long floppy arms, and to put on a tee-shirt instead. In fact, just yesterday I went and got him a tee-shirt and demanded he take it and give me his bathrobe. I guess I should say that he has shorts on, too. But I am sure if he spilled the hot bacon grease he would still get burned somewhat!

Anyway, take very good care of that burn!

Oh heck, this must be the day for bacon burns.

I don't even eat the stuff, as I consider any meat from pigs as evil, but I will cook it for my husband who loves the stuff.

While leaning across the pan with the bacon in it to reach another pan, the bacon popped and covered my right forearm to just about the wrist. I have a nice set of bubble blisters for several inches.

I moved the pan off the heat and put my arm under cool running water. So while my skin is still intact, I have blisters.

I wont even be going to the Dr., though, because the deductible for my insurance would be well over the amount you paid for your emergency room visit.

Always keep neosporin on hand!

Thanks for your story Sancho!

Maybe more people will face the fact they are being ripped off royally!

But, by the looks of the way we're throwin' a hissy fit over HC right now,
I guarantee nothing will ever change. Except the increasing prices!

Be glad you don't live in the land of the greed, home of the 'fraid!
You should know somethings wrong when you have to make payments
to see a doctor!

Thanks again for your posts!

Just a reminder, this is the salient point of Sancho's post:

The total cost for the doctor, emergency room, and complete medications for 10 days was 754 pesos, or in dollars that comes out to rougly 54 bucks.

Now, go look at their website; each one of their hospitals is as professional as the presentation of the website. They have World renowned Doctors.

So, why is it that I paid 54 bucks for something which should it have happened when I was in the states would have easily run past 1,500 bucks???

Now that's a fricking conspiracy!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, why is that!?

Does it cost less to keep the lights on at a hospital in Mexico? Do their wounds sting less? Are their doctor's less educated? Are their people less important?

Or is it perhaps that there is a finite amount of money to be tapped there versus the U.S, where doctors, insurance companies, lawyers and big Pharma all surely want their take so the bill will be padded because the pockets are deep?

When the skin starts to heal over make sure you keep some of the scabs so you can gross out your children!

Heal fast and well!

He came down here, and the Doctors took everything into consideration. They formulated his care to better the amount of life he had left. The couple I am referring to went back to the States for three weeks, and he couldn't get the care, or pain management; so they turned right around, and he lived down here pain free until the day he died.

Another excellent story!
Just goes to show how backwards our entire HC system is.
Why people want it to continue like this is beyond me.

It unconscionable that we live in such a well off country
and dont give a rats behind about our own people.
Of course, like common sense we no longer have compassion here either.
Only a fatal lust for more of everything, always......

Eventually good times always end and empires always fall.

Ooops, double post. Sorry!

[edit on 6-9-2009 by dodadoom]