How can they charge so much??!
Question: I recently had to take my son to our local ER to have a cut on his head glued back together. The doctor spent a total of 5 minutes or less with my son, used a little bit of saline solution, and a little bit of glue. The bill from just the hospital itself was $611.00. I have yet to receive the bill from the physician (they bill separate from the hospital) but I've heard their typical bill is around $300.00. How can it be possible that it actually costs the hospital almost $1000.00 to spend 5 minutes putting glue on someone's head???
Answers: I recently had to take my son to our local ER to have a cut on his head glued back together. The doctor spent a total of 5 minutes or less with my son, used a little bit of saline solution, and a little bit of glue. The bill from just the hospital itself was $611.00. I have yet to receive the bill from the physician (they bill separate from the hospital) but I've heard their typical bill is around $300.00. How can it be possible that it actually costs the hospital almost $1000.00 to spend 5 minutes putting glue on someone's head???
Welcome to America!
That's the inflated "list" price." Only the uninsured are expected to pay it. Few do.
Insurance companies have contracts with the hospital and doctors and usually only pay a fraction of the list, leaving the patient with a predefined deductable, often about $50.
If you had no insurance, I'm surprised they didn't ask for a large upfront payment. Your son's head wound could have been taken care of in a doctor's office. The bill would have been a lot less.
You can try and negotiate with the hospital to get the bill reduced. Suggest half as a starter. Works better if you have the cash to pay a reduced bill. They'll also set up a payment plan. So will the doc.
Good luck.
Wow, thats shocking. No wonder doctors get so rich.
if you have no money the law requires the hospital to ''stabilize'' the victim for free.this happens a lot, as a result cost of care is driven up significantly.
theres this principle called supply and demand. you NEED the doctor to fix your kid, so he can charge whatever he wants for it. and he used glue on your kids head? i've never heard of that..