Man gets $90,000 hospital bill for snake bite treatment

[Responsible Allen Iverson]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/01/27/4643457/mooresville-patient-stunned-by.html

 

[Mr. Somebody]

I think when people go to the Dr, they think they dont realize how quickly that little bit of money they get per year for their treatments will run out. They think ok ill get thse xrays and these surgeries for 10 dollars,

 

[I.AM.PIFF]

Only rich people can get bitten by snakes sucks for you broke niccas

 

[Yapdatfool]

Lake Norman Regional, a private for-profit hospital, is under scrutiny by others for questionable practices. In a 2010 lawsuit, recently unsealed in Mecklenburg County, two emergency room doctors alleged that Lake Norman and Davis Regional Medical Center in Statesville committed fraud by offering kickbacks to doctors who would order unnecessary tests and admit more patients to increase corporate revenues. The federal Department of Justice is also investigating.

Both hospitals are owned by Health Management Associates, one of the largest for-profit hospital chains. HMA has denied the allegations, which are repeated in lawsuits by other doctors in other states.

Asked to comment on the snake bite billing, Lake Norman officials provided a written statement: “… Hospitals only collect a small percentage of our charges, or ‘list prices.’ We are required to give Medicare one level of discount from list price, Medicaid another, and private insurers negotiate for still others. … If we did not start with the list prices we have, we would not end up with enough revenue to remain in operation. … Our costs for providing uncompensated care are partially covered by higher bills for other patients.

“In some cases, Lake Norman Regional’s charge is considerably higher than other local hospitals,” the statement said. But the hospital said it offers discounts of 62 to 65 percent to “self-pay” patients without insurance.

If it sounds complicated, it is.

Last summer, the North Carolina legislature passed laws that could make some hospital stays less painful and mystifying. Starting in June, hospitals must post prices for common procedures. They also must post their charity care policies and put their bills in plain, easy-to-understand language.

The more transparent the system, the reasoning goes, the better for consumers. As Laura Ferguson says: “You need to be your own health ambassador.”

Oh, how gracious of them. So you would end up paying 30 grand or so after those 'discounts' with what they charged for an 18 hour hospital stay.

 

[DEAD7]

65% discount for removing the insurance overhead That say a lot. Too bad nobody wants to hear that

 

[Kritic]

Only rich people can get bitten by snakes sucks for you broke niccas

i don't even fight anymore. one time i whooped on a nicca and broke a finger and went to the hospital for treatment...
weeks later when that bill came back and i opened the letter.. i looked out the window and saw that nicca ....

i just breakdance to settle beef now.

 

[DPresidential]

i don't even fight anymore. one time i whooped on a nicca and broke a finger and went to the hospital for treatment...
weeks later when that bill came back and i opened the letter.. i looked out the window and saw that nicca ....

i just breakdance to settle beef now.

LMAOOOOOO

one of the funniest posts I ever read. Nice

 

[mbewane]

 

[MikelArteta]

That sucks


Glad I'm Canadian

 

[FAH1223]

this is terrifying brehs

I have bluecross too

 

[OneManGang]

this is terrifying brehs

I have bluecross too

The angst in this post gave me a great laugh breh

 

[OneManGang]

65% discount for removing the insurance overhead That say a lot. Too bad nobody wants to hear that

750-12000 gives you an average of about $6375 per vial. So $6375 * 4 vials = $25,500 for 4 vial treatment on average. 65% of that comes out to be $8,925 for just vials. Add in the other treatment charges you looking at over $10,000 easy if you paying cash/no insurance. How much of America can afford a bill like that for a snake bite without insurance? Is my math correct and was that your point that the 65% discount was readsonable?

 

[DEAD7]

750-12000 gives you an average of about $6375 per vial. So $6375 * 4 vials = $25,500 for 4 vial treatment on average. 65% of that comes out to be $8,925 for just vials. Add in the other treatment charges you looking at over $10,000 easy if you paying cash/no insurance. How much of America can afford a bill like that for a snake bite without insurance? Is my math correct and was that your point that the 65% discount was readsonable?

I was waiting for some one to come in and suggest that a 65% reduction in cost isnt shyt or as you put it "unreasonable"

 

[OneManGang]

I was waiting for some one to come in and suggest that a 65% reduction in cost isnt shyt or as you put it "unreasonable"

Am i wrong though? Clearly hospitals are overpaying and making horrendous contracts with insurance companies, then turning around and offering a bogus 65% reduction...which could have been cut out form the beginning. There is no reason the bills should be that high.

 

[DEAD7]

Am i wrong though? Clearly hospitals are overpaying and making horrendous contracts with insurance companies, then turning around and offering a bogus 65% reduction...which could have been cut out form the beginning. There is no reason the bills should be that high.

Insurance companies are a big part of the problem for sure, but if you can reduce the cost by 65% simply by cutting them out, thats something we should seriously look at.