Hospital Overcharges

Stung by a Scorpion, Then by a Hospital. This Could Happen to You.  by Gary North

An Arizona woman was stung by a scorpion. She went to the hospital. It gave her two shots. Then it charged her $39,652.Per shot.  In Mexico, the same shot costs $100. Then it charged her extra fees for the visit. Total bill: over $83,000. Conclusion: government-regulated health care is not working for patients.  It is working great for hospitals.  Here are the details.

Marcie Edmonds was stung by a scorpion. At first, there were no major problems. But symptoms began bothering her. She could not walk. She called poison control, which advised her to go to a hospital. (Smart people. They won’t get sued.)

The hospital did not give her an IV of vitamin C (cheap). It gave her an IV of a new drug, which costs the hospital $3,780 per dose. The physician never mentioned cost, She, being naive, never asked…..Sucker!

Three weeks later, she was billed a little over $83,000, or $39,652 per dose.The drug firm sells the drug to distributors in the USA for $3,500 per dose. The distributor charges the hospital $3,780.  In Mexico, the same drug costs $100 per dose.

Hospitals charge all they can. In her area, some charge $8,000 per dose. Others charge $13,000. But this lady got the all-time sting. Her insurer paid $57,509, The hospital is demanding $25,537 from her.  The scorpion got away scot-free.

Warning: never accept treatment at any hospital without a written estimate of the cost. If it’s verbal, you need an adult witness.  Better yet, live in Mexico.

Source: www.azcentral.com Stung by a Scorpion, Then by a Hospital. This Could Happen to You.
Written by Gary North on September 7, 2012

Comments:
Several articles have appeared citing copperhead snake bite hospital cost at $250,000.  Coincidentally, this is the maximum the insurance companies would pay.  The anti-venom drugs are quoted to be $1000 to $1500 per vial and treatment can take up to 30 vials. One patient was in intensive care for 3 days. 

Medical care costs live in a different world than the rest of us.  Government subsidies and mandates, third party payer systems, malpractice lawsuit abuse and under the table deals with drug companies have caused hospital costs to skyrocket, but these price gouging outrages appear to be the fault of the doctor and the hospital for not buying these drugs from Mexico or policing hospital costs for certain treatments. Finding out what we used 100 years ago would be a good start. 

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader