Everyone should have access to affordable healthcare, especially when dealing with serious illnesses or emergencies. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case, and in places like the U.S., hospital bills often skyrocket after a simple checkup.
A woman who had to be hospitalized for leg surgery couldn’t believe the amount she had to pay after her stay. She shared the exact breakdown of the costs online, and folks were left reeling after seeing the steep bill.
More info: TikTok
Some people fear going to hospitals or getting checked because they don’t know what kind of bill they’ll be stuck with
Image credits: sara_janell
“I just got my hospital bill, I was in there for three days for a leg surgery, and I'm gonna read you the itemized charge list”
Sara Janell was shocked when she received a bill of $41,288 after being hospitalized for three days following her leg operation. She was charged for bed changes, a recovery room, medicines, surgical supplies, laboratory changes, operating room work, and even physical therapy.
The most surprising thing was that she didn’t even receive any physical therapy services. The only thing it could possibly be referring to was when she held the nurse's hand when walking after the surgery. It’s unimaginable that she would be charged $874 for just that!
Image credits: sara_janell
Sara’s extreme bill left her feeling shocked because many of the charges mentioned didn’t seem appropriate for the services provided
The TikToker told netizens that even though she was charged $12,487 for room and bed changes, she had to deal with bedbugs every single night that she spent in the hospital. People asked her if she had insurance. She mentioned that she did and that her provider was going to cover a good amount of her bill but that she wouldn’t be paying the rest of it.
According to a survey, around 41% of people have healthcare debt, mainly due to such costly bills and expenses. Folks with this kind of debt sometimes try to cut their basic expenses for food, clothing, and household items just to pay off what they owe the hospital.
Image credits: sara_janell
You can find Sara’s video here
Basic healthcare shouldn’t be so costly that people struggle to afford to take care of themselves
It can be extremely daunting to receive a huge bill, especially after a routine surgery. That’s also why a lot of Americans try their best to avoid going to medical centers or getting the proper care; they simply can’t afford to!
To learn more about these kinds of absurd hospital charges, Bored Panda interviewed Dr. Anthony Youn, who is known as America's Holistic Plastic Surgeon. He is also an award-winning author and expert on anti-aging.
Dr. Youn said that “hospitals charge whatever they want for services, hence the sky-high prices. They do this because no matter what they charge, insurance companies will pay whatever is contracted between the hospital and the insurance company.”
“So if they’ve contracted to pay, for example, $10,000 for an appendectomy, that is the payment from insurance, no matter if the hospital bills $10,000 or $40,000.” Even though 92% of Americans have health insurance, their firm might still refuse to cover certain costs based on their company’s guidelines.
The 8% of people without insurance coverage face an even tougher time, and many get into debt to try and pay off their bills. Luckily, Sara didn’t have to cover the entire cost herself, but it was still a shock to be charged such a high sum.
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Another surprising thing that came to light due to Sara’s post was the errors that showed up in her hospital bill. She was wrongly charged for physical therapy despite never asking for or getting the service. Even simple things like bed and room changes led to exorbitant charges.
According to studies, anywhere from 49% to 80% of hospital bills can have errors. Patients might not even realize the mistakes until they see the itemized bill. Dr. Anthony told us that “there is also no requirement for hospitals to post their prices publicly or online, which is the main problem here. People without insurance then get billed the prices that hospitals decide they want to charge.”
We asked Dr. Anthony if there was any way for people to get their medical bills lowered. He told us that “there are attorneys who can help negotiate these prices down, or the patient can try to do this on their own. This type of price gouging of patients who don’t have insurance is a major problem that I believe needs to be addressed by the federal government.”
In case someone is not able to appeal the bill amount, many folks also request payment plans that they can steadily pay off without compromising on their essential needs.
All in all, it truly shows how difficult it is for normal people to afford medical care. Do you think there’s any way around this kind of system?
People couldn’t believe the shocking charges on Sara’s bill, and many expressed gratitude for living in places with free healthcare
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
