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Related: About this forumTotal Cost of Covid 19 Treatment: $34,927
When Danni Askini started feeling chest pain, shortness of breath and a migraine all at once on a Saturday in late February, she called the oncologist who had been treating her lymphoma. Her doctor thought she might be reacting poorly to a new medication, so she sent Askini to a Boston-area emergency room. There, doctors told her it was likely pneumonia and sent her home.
Over the next several days, Askini saw her temperature spike and drop dangerously, and she developed a cough that gurgled because of all the liquid in her lungs. After two more trips to the ER that week, Askini was given a final test on the seventh day of her illness, and once doctors helped manage her flu and pneumonia symptoms, they again sent her home to recover. She waited another three days for a lab to process her test, and at last she had a diagnosis: COVID-19.
A few days later, Askini got the bills for her testing and treatment: $34,927.43. I was pretty sticker-shocked, she says. I personally dont know anybody who has that kind of money.
https://time.com/5806312/coronavirus-treatment-cost/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_term=health_covid-19&linkId=84678294
Another reason for Medicare for All
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)pay less than $10,000 and the rest will be written off.
While Medicare-for-All would be nice, it's even further away now than ever. But expanded Medicaid -- as originally envisioned in the ACA -- would go a long way to covering people like this patient.
magicguido
(6,315 posts)Hoyt
(54,770 posts)ancianita
(36,133 posts)Seven ways to negotiate medical bills:
Learn to Spot Common Medical Billing Errors. ...
Go Into a Procedure Knowledgeable of Fees. ...
Ask If You Qualify for Discounts. ...
Familiarize Yourself With Health Care Mumbo Jumbo. ...
Visit the Hospital's Billing Department. ...
Be Polite, But Not a Pushover.
https://money.com/7-smart-ways-to-negotiate-your-medical-bills/
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,192 posts)My bill came out to six figures. Fortunately I had insurance and only had to pay $4000 out of pocket.
So I'm not surprised.