The one night my dad had in the hospital, he was visited by an internist and a cardiologist and an orthpedic. The internist's bill came in today. 10 minutes 497 dollars. 305 was forgiven and insurance paid all but 8 bucks. She must have seen 20 patients on her shift at least.

I suspect that it does not take long for MDs to pay back their student loans.

My final visit to an ENT charged $280 to my insurance company. Since I have 5000 deductible, it was up to me to pay. She charged it as surgery. All she did was squirt something up my nose, waited a few minutes, and looked inside. That was it. Surgery? Oh puleeez! Not only that, but she did not help me at all with my sinuses during the previous 4 visits or ever at all. Without taking any samples, she declared fungus. She had me try various corticosteroid nasal sprays, as if I wanted a bandaid instead of cure. Totally ridiculous. And the nasal sprays were very expensive.

In a few months you will probably get statements from his health insurance with what you will owe labs that you never knew had anything to do with his visit.

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- Jim

Love is a serious mental disease. -Plato

Bloodwork galore, a couple times, pre and post surgery. Tons of x-rays, he saw at least 7 doctors.

This kind of crap doesn't happen in Canada.

I can't believe how much fraud and gouging goes on in the states, but I guess that's what happens when you allow "middlemen" between the patient and the doctor.

Our medical system is government based, which means they pay all medical costs (but not perscriptions) through taxes.

Our system is far from perfect, but we have no medical bankruptcy here.

Ours is a joke and you said it correctly: medical gouging. Everything here is piecework (everything is charged). If a doc gives you a wrong drug, you get charged.

What ticks me off it that the hospital will send you bills and not tell you what the bills are for or even a date of service

Pretty disgusting really, you would think that when a person dies in hospital that they could write off the bills.

Exactly. They get paid from medicare and insurance supplements and they still have to hit you for an extra 8 bucks

I may add, that there will probably be at least 50 of these bills anywhere from 8 bucks to 50 bucks so far. I remember him getting a bill 2 yrs ago of 72 cents.

I make them keep sending me bills until they have used the 8 bucks up on postage

I never pay the first bill. The second one is always lower for regular med bills.

I think I've posted this before, but it makes me so angry that I like to keep talking about it. I received an insurance statement that showed they were not going to cover 4 blood test that a lab presented to them. I already paid about 100 for the blood work. The second one was for about 700.00. I never got a bill from the lab. They apparently just wanted to gouge the insurance company. The US med system has people on their payroll that do whatever they can to get as much as they can either from the insurance companies or the public. Deep pockets and greed.

I was in costa rica in 09 and was talking to the guide and he said if someone needs an ambulance, the fee is 40 dollars and is optional. Those that can afford to pay it, those that cannot, do not. I was in el salvador last yr and there are doctors offices in the pharmacies. 5 bucks

That's a good point!

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Saved, that's disgusting to get charged. What is insurance for? It's ridiculous.

If I were to die in my sleep, I wonder what my husband would have to pay to have an ambulance come? What red tape would there be? I would want to go to the crematory immediately but I'm guessing "the system" will want to have my body go to the hospital so I can be "officially" pronounced dead. Then my body would need to be transported to the morgue - all this will add up to various charges that I wouldn't want my husband to have to pay. He can just bury me somewhere for all I care. Keep the money.