You gotta be kidding??

[FarmerChick]

PHOENIX (AP) — An Arizona woman is wondering what hurt more: getting stung by a scorpion or seeing her hospital bill after treatment.
Marcie Edmonds says the bill from Chandler Regional Medical Center was more than $83,000. That includes two doses of anti-venom at nearly $40,000 per dose.
The Arizona Republic says Edmonds' insurer has paid more than $57,000 and the suburban Phoenix hospital is asking Edmonds for the balance of about $25,000.
The 52-year-old Ahwatukee (ah-wha-TU'-kee) Foothills resident was stung in June while opening a box of air conditioner filters in her garage.
Edmonds says an emergency room doctor told her about the Mexican anti-venom Anascorp that could quickly relieve her symptoms, but she was never told about the cost.
Chandler Regional says Edmonds' bill represents the out-of-network costs for her treatment.

----------------------------

A scorpion antivenom that was cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last month is causing sticker shock for Arizona residents.
The Arizona Republic, a Phoenix-area newspaper, is reporting that Phoenix hospitals are charging patients as much as $12,467 per vial of the antivenom. With a full treatment calling for three to five vials, medical costs can soar to over $60,000. As The Republic points out, the antivenom is almost always used to prevent more serious treatment for children, the elderly, and others who have bad reactions to scorpion stings. The worst part is, many insurance companies have not yet figured out what a “reasonable price” is for the drug, and so do not yet cover treatment with the drug.



WHAT IS GOING on in this world? Truly. Can't they get their act together and charge reasonable.

 

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[mamabear]

absolutely dispicable!!

 

[ivan salis]

can you say insane?

 

[jeff of pa]

saw that the other day.

ridiculous ! I guess the doctor suggested that anti venom because of how much he could mark up the cost

 

[stefen]

Ain't O'Bammy Care wonnerful....

 

[Moonrover]

This is the company that makes the drug: http://www.raretx.com/

Somewhere I read that the drug is manufactured in Mexico (possibly Canada too).

With more research, I'm betting I can locate how much lobby effort ($$) the company has put into the FDA "approval". Palms have been greased, without a doubt. Don't look for the price of the drug to come down.

M

 

[jeff of pa]

apparently it costs allot of money to talk someone into milking a scorpion

 

[kiana7]

Wow,so sad and to think in her own garage,,that sure is a lot of money

 

[releventchair]

Makes one want to start ranching scorpions. Most outrageous care though,not disclosing costs,even estimate up front .

 

[Moonrover]

Come to think of it, I don't recall ever being given an up-front pricing on any medical treatment when in a hospital. Possibly had I asked, someone from "accounting" would have appeared to discuss costs. Sort of have you as a captive at that point. Poor position for negotiating. Now going to the dentist is a bit different. I probably tick him off with my cost conscious inquiries. Yep, I've negotiated there. He drives a Porsche. Maybe my negotiations are not as good as I thought.

M

 

[FarmerChick]

this type of situation happens constantly. this will topple this country. no way we can continue handling these costs. people's wallets will buckle and when they do then the country buckles. this is not good! I see a rough future coming.

 

[spartacus53]

Honestly, if I were stung by a scorpion, I'd just let nature run its course, so long as I didn't notice life threatening symptoms. Very few people have been killed by a sting, so I'd rather take my chances and save a few bucks

It's always prudent to know what you're dealing with

 

[Chisos]

Remember when mom and dad told you to study hard and go to college to maybe become a doctor? Now you know why.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Know why Medicare and Medicaid costs are so high? Hospital and doctor ripoffs, that's why. It's a known fact that each year billions are wasted due to crooked health care violators. We just recently had a scandal where the hospital and physicians charged someone for a series of expensive tests done on an organ that person had removed many years ago.

The majority are honest but many hospitals and doctors today are crooks milking the system. Billions in fraudulent charges and treatments/tests not necessary are common. Another thing many don't realize is how dangerous some of these common invasive tests are. I (we) expect to see many of these eliminated in the near future unless other symptoms strongly call for them.

 

[Chisos]

National Health Insurance perhaps? Let me tell you a short true story. I retired and then became bored. Seeking action I journeyed forth to seek it. I am waiting for medicare so had no insurance. I had two freak accidents, tried to heal myself , got an infection and two hospitals, five left foot sugeries later, drugs I cannot afford, but do, I owe $20000 to one hospital and $15000 to the other one. I have insurance now for $100 a month, but I am in a bit of debt. So Obamacare would have been nice, but I am going back to work soon (part-time), still have two feet, probably won't die before I pay the hospitals off and really am not that worried. The Dr.'s were excellent, the food ok and most importantly, I have lived to fight another day. So did the lady with the scorpion.

 

[FarmerChick]

Does anyone really know what happens if you can't pay a medical bill? Do they take you to court? Write it off?
What happens if you owed like $75K and couldn't make but $50 per month on it, or does a Judge read your finances and sets a payment? Can you lose your home and possessions literally cause of these medical debts?

I heard so many ways about this that I would love to know the truth.


I am just curious because obviously there are many who can't pay these bills.

 

[garrettJL]

My wife recently had some medical issues that required biopsies to be taken. The hospital we dealt with is known as the leading cancer treatment hospital in the area. Roughly 2 months after her biopsies were taken we received a couple bills for these tests. The hospital sent the samples to a lab in California which is obviously out of network for our insurance as we are on the east cost. Three seperate $4000+ bills later we are left to argue with the hospital and our insurance company over payment of the bills. We never authorized any third party labs much less a lab on the opposite side of the country. The insurance paid roughly $500 for each biopsy and we are told that the rest is our responsibilty. Would have been nice to know up front considering the subject of cancer was never even brought up by her doctors. Her doctor claims he was just curious because something didn't look right.

 

[calisdad]

Medical insurance billing fraud is rampant and unfortunately no one is guarding the henhouse. Don't accept it. Don't tolerate it.

 

[FarmerChick]

My wife recently had some medical issues that required biopsies to be taken. The hospital we dealt with is known as the leading cancer treatment hospital in the area. Roughly 2 months after her biopsies were taken we received a couple bills for these tests. The hospital sent the samples to a lab in California which is obviously out of network for our insurance as we are on the east cost. Three seperate $4000+ bills later we are left to argue with the hospital and our insurance company over payment of the bills. We never authorized any third party labs much less a lab on the opposite side of the country. The insurance paid roughly $500 for each biopsy and we are told that the rest is our responsibilty. Would have been nice to know up front considering the subject of cancer was never even brought up by her doctors. Her doctor claims he was just curious because something didn't look right.

holy cow it seems you got taken for a ride without them telling you what was happening. your story makes me realize I will be asking tons of questions on medical issues from now on.

you are holding about $12K for tests? that is just insane.

 

[garrettJL]

Yep and so far they are not willing to change their decision at all. Been going on for 2 or 3 months now. The doctors are always crying about high insurance costs for their practice but, we aren't supposed to say anything when THEY milk the system. When you end up retaining an attorney to fight stuff like this then they complain about people suing doctors or insurance companies and raising their costs. My father was treated at the same hospital and all of his labs were in done in house. We never even gave it a second thought that they would send anything out of network when they have the facilities right there in the same building. The first thing they do with a new patient is run your insurance to see what your coverage and copays are so they knew up front about the insurance guidelines.