Surprise Emergency Room Bill
This is likely 100% true. I have an old friend who is a wetland consultant. He was bitten by a rattlesnake a few years back. His hospital bill before insurance was over $400,000.
Commenters were shocked when an anonymous user posted his friend's medical bills totaling $244,995 after he was treated for a rattlesnake bite.......
The Bill
"A friend of mine recently got bit by a rattlesnake while on an evening hike," the viral post read.. "This was his bill from the hospital. He doesn't think his crappy insurance will cover much of it (U.S.)."
The image attached showed a billed amount of more than $244,000 but since it was recent, it was still unclear how much the person would owe or if insurance would cover the costs.
Although antivenom is accessible in the U.S., sometimes the vials can cost upwards of $100,000, according to UNC Health's pharmacy team.
Why is Antivenom Expensive?
The VIPER Institute's research reported a breakdown of the price of the antivenom:
- Cost to manufacture the antivenom: 10 percent of the sticker price.
- Licensing fees legal costs: About 28 percent of the cost.
- Hospital markups, which they say are generally discounted by health insurers for patients with coverage: About 70 percent of the cost.
Redditor Reactions
More than 3,300 users commented on the post, many wondering why the treatment for a snake bite was so steep.
"I'd love to see the breakdown of that amount billed, what can possibly amount to $200k+ for treating a snake bite. Is the antidote made from moon dust or something?" one user commented.
"Tell the friend to ask for an itemized bill. That sometimes lowers it because they calculate things and break it down more," one user commented.
"It sounds like the snake is liable. Lawyer up Greg," another user joked.
"If this was in Denmark, we don't have rattlesnakes though, the total hospital bill would amount to $0."
"In return we do have the luxury of paying the highest taxes in the world," another user commented.............
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/tech...sedgntp&cvid=6252af607e7e455382dd2cbdbdd9f5ae
This is likely 100% true. I have an old friend who is a wetland consultant. He was bitten by a rattlesnake a few years back. His hospital bill before insurance was over $400,000.