I am very expensive

So I just received gold for a health policy wonk. It's a nifty piece of paper illustrating, ever so vaguely, the cost of various medical procedures and gadgets. That's right -- it's the bill from my surgery and hospital stay. The total cost: a whopping $21,113.44 -- hoo!

How did this little body get enough work done to equal the cost of a brand new car? Let's see:

It's kinda fun to guess what these generic items are referring to. "Other implants"? I believe that's the metal plate and screws now inserted in my femur -- a cool $2,624.

But that's not the expensive column. Oh no no no no.

"Operating Room Services"? That'd be the surgery itself -- $12,672. "Pulmonary function" -- my breathing tube -- $360.00 "Pharmacy" -- I'm guessing that's the anesthesia -- $1,204.44

There you go, folks. I am the sole reason health care is so expensive in this country. My surgery was only one hour and 45 minutes. And it cost over $20,000. Without it, I would have worn out my knee in a decade, been in terrible pain, and needed a knee replacement at the age of 32. If putting a plate in my leg is $20 Gs, I can't imagine how much a knee replacement costs.

But while I'm very expensive, I'm also very lucky. I have insurance which will pay for the vast, vast majority of that cost. The copay I owe hasn't come in yet, but I'll be sure to let you know when it does. Probably won't be nearly as exciting as my itemized bill, though.

Comments

[Martin]

Reminds of the line in Syriana about the law firm's one line bill to Saudi Arabia for $36 million

[Scorpio]

I bet Pharmacy is not anaesthesia -- that is usually separate and billed thru the anaesthesiologist. And the cost of the surgery itself is not on this bill -- this is just hospital services. Trust me on this. And I don't see x-ray, either. Just wait.

Pharmacy is likely an aspirin or two they gave you after surgery :)

[Scorpio]

OK, X-ray is covered. Partly. In a lot of places the person who reads the things sends out a separate bill, and the listing is just for the films and machine time.

[Matthew Holt]

Kate--You know you will get separate bills from the surgeon, anesthitist, dogcatcher, etc too, right. And you also know that Coventry has negotiated your $21,000 and change "bill" down to about a buck 29....or my guess about $4900.

Please post your EOB when you get that. That minus about 5% profit all around was the actual cost.

[dfinberg]

Psh, that's cheap. I just got the second hospital bill (Level 2 SCN) from my daughters' births. A mere 100k after the insurance company discount. I don't have the Level 3 EOB handy, but these kids may be the real million dollar baby(ies).

[Richard Lines]

Memphis, TN 38108-3758, Ph#901-763-3733!
Who in-the-world, regulates or dictates what will be charged for services and goods within the Medical industry!!? Why are we the people, allowing ourselves, and again I say, why would the government continue to allow the medical industry to charge the outrageous prices they do, for goods and/or services!!?
To explain what just got my dander up; I just received my anesthesiologists bill for a colonoscopy I had done on 10/17/2006. It lists the colonoscopy and states 00 hours 15 minutes and the cost to the right side is $455.00!!! Now, the point here is not to consider how much insurance pays, or how much is written off as a "PPO Adjustment", but the point here is: to think any business can or would charge $455 for 15mn of service! Damn, I'd inspect ass-holes, clean them and give the customer a kiss for $455/15mn of time!!! (or worse!) To allow the medical industry to think they can charge whatever "THEY" deem necessary, is being proven to be outrageous! There needs to be some government or civic group that has the power to regulate, investigate and compromise the extremely high cost of medical billing to patients. I submit my name, education, experience and worldly knowledge as someone that will investigate, and coordinate with the medical industry, a reasonable cost that is a little more closely resembling "fair". I'll continue to add this comment, I had no choice or knowledge of how many practices are subject to bill me for the outpatient service I received during my colonoscopy visit. This information should be spelled-out during the pre-planning and fall either to the doctor suggesting the procedure, or have an on-site counselor that goes over the procedure and all the associated costs before a client/patient goes into the ordeal. There are absolutely too many hidden costs in the medical care industry, and too much leeway given to special practices to charge whatever "THEY" feel is compensation for their service. There should definitely be representation and guidelines for the charges! Outrageous prices for sheets and bed linens, hospital accessories, of which will be reused after sanitation or sterilization. But go on to charge the patient the brand new cost, times 3 (or more)for any given aspirin, pillow or pillow case, or charging for babysitting a newborn, just because it's in-the-hospital, but, in this case, the child stayed with the parent, in the hospital room the entire afternoon. (A one-day visit/procedure) $250 for child care! That is just not right or fair! Someone, please read this, and enlist me as the new association/person that investigates medical, or any and all specialty services with the purpose of reducing these costs so the government saves, and hard working people save money, while trying to stay alive! I am simply outraged at our Country and the way we've turned our backs on all the soldiers have done to keep our Country free, only for all other outsiders to migrate into our Country, start a special practice, then charge outrageous prices, just because this is a "Free America"? There are laws in place to keep chaos at bay! There should be guidelines and laws to regulate the cost of services provided by, even specialized in, that are given to the general public. Lastly noted, each and every case needs to be discussed because everything is NOT absolute. But, $455/15mn of anesthesia in a procedure that resulted without any problems is unnecessary.

[LeOgAhEr]

I Love you girls

Buy

[Sultaun Abdulshahid]

Amen, amen and amen sister.
I'll be researching for such a group too and if/when I find it I will contact you.