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2012-12-03 6:01 PM

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Elite
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Laguna Beach
Subject: The $12,000 Ironman.

A friend of mine had a rough day at Ironman and posted a copy of her post-race hospital bill from the emergency room on Facebook. I asked her permission to repost it and she said "Yes".

It's an incredible insight.



2012-12-03 6:06 PM
in reply to: #4520160


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Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.

I know hospital costs are pricey, but $3000+ for "IV therapy" is pretty insane by any standard.

 

I would have expected the 'urology' fee to be the highest there, but it pales in comparison to being held in the observation room (WOW)



Edited by yazmaster 2012-12-03 6:06 PM
2012-12-03 6:13 PM
in reply to: #4520160

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Pro
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Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.
Hey it's about $20k so far since I fell off my bike in August. $950 for a .8 mile ambulance ride.
2012-12-03 6:14 PM
in reply to: #4520160

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Elite
5145
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Cleveland
Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.

'tis a rough day, indeed.... but it could have been a whole lot worse for sure.   Heck, I crashed while training and racked up $31,000 in medical bills. 

Hope she's recovering well.

2012-12-03 6:18 PM
in reply to: #4520160


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Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.

Hope she is insured.

I am in healthcare, and I still dont get how they could charge that much cash, then get reimbursed at a much lower rate, then collect a standard copay.   I think an individual paying cash should get to say, "nope, too much, this is what I am giving you," like an insurance company would.

2012-12-03 6:18 PM
in reply to: #4520160

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Expert
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Greenville, SC
Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.
heh, i racked up $50k in bills from just hanging up my Rev3 finisher medal.


2012-12-03 6:26 PM
in reply to: #4520180

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Expert
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Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.

I would think that's the almost pretty close to the norm of what most people pay, just getting to the starting line...

2012-12-03 6:30 PM
in reply to: #4520167

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Elite
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Laguna Beach
Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.

I recall crossing the finish at IM New Zealand and having lost about 11 pounds. They put me in the med tent since I was a little wobbly. I asked for an IV and they said they would have to admit me to the hospital for an IV, that they didn't give those in the med tent in New Zealand.

I drank chicken soup and laid under blankets instead. It was kind of nice. And free.

Then again, there really wasn't anything wrong with me a night of rest and some chicken soup couldn't fix.

The situation before this bill was accrued is a good bit different.

2012-12-03 6:52 PM
in reply to: #4520195

Master
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, California
Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.
Tom Demerly. - 2012-12-03 4:30 PM

I recall crossing the finish at IM New Zealand and having lost about 11 pounds. They put me in the med tent since I was a little wobbly. I asked for an IV and they said they would have to admit me to the hospital for an IV, that they didn't give those in the med tent in New Zealand.

I drank chicken soup and laid under blankets instead. It was kind of nice. And free.

Then again, there really wasn't anything wrong with me a night of rest and some chicken soup couldn't fix.

The situation before this bill was accrued is a good bit different.

Speaking of being overseas, it's good to have supplemental medical / travel insurance.  If you think that hospital bill is high, wait until you see one that involves air transport.

2012-12-03 7:00 PM
in reply to: #4520176

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Veteran
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The Cold North
Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.

BrianRunsPhilly - 2012-12-03 6:13 PM Hey it's about $20k so far since I fell off my bike in August. $950 for a .8 mile ambulance ride.

Wow!  I'm in Canada and my son just had an ambulance ride and I was peeved that we got charged $40 for it, that we get back in full from our insurance company!  I can't even grasp the thought of paying that much money for treatment.

2012-12-03 7:28 PM
in reply to: #4520160

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Veteran
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indiana
Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.
For that $950 the ambulance can do and or start most of the treatment, especially for trauma. The ambulance is usually the cheapest part of the day. I'm sure if you knew it was going to be such an astronomical fee for just .8 miles you would have walked.
The bad part is, Medicare will only pay $200 of that. Period. Insurance will pay slightly higher. But think of it as saving $2000 if they start an IV on you.


2012-12-03 7:37 PM
in reply to: #4520160

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Expert
758
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Port Colborne, Ontario
Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.
One of the perks of living in Canada.  I end up in the hospital after wrecking my bike it cost me $0, doesn't matter if I'm there a month.
2012-12-03 7:43 PM
in reply to: #4520257

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Champion
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Williamston, Michigan
Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.
RVachon - 2012-12-03 7:37 PM One of the perks of living in Canada.  I end up in the hospital after wrecking my bike it cost me $0, doesn't matter if I'm there a month.
But if you need elective surgery you will have to wait 12-18 months.  There is always a trade off.  There is a reason Canadians fly to Tampa in the winter and pay cash for their joint replacements and its because they don't want to be in pain for 18 months
2012-12-03 7:43 PM
in reply to: #4520180

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Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.
ImSore - 2012-12-03 7:18 PM

Hope she is insured.

I am in healthcare, and I still dont get how they could charge that much cash, then get reimbursed at a much lower rate, then collect a standard copay.   I think an individual paying cash should get to say, "nope, too much, this is what I am giving you," like an insurance company would.

I agree, but it won't happen.  The new healthcare insurance model is sort of like a 'member discount club'.  My company switched to a HSA system, same insurance carriers, same type of coverage, and worse of all; same premiums.  But now I have to pay the first $4k and 20% of the remainder up to $8k out of pocket (in addition to over $7k/yr in premiums).  What do I get?  Well the insurance company sent us a statement of the last doctors visit, we had to pay everything since we didn't reach the $4k. However, they showed us how much they saved us by comparing what we would have paid if we didn't have their insurance.  What a stupid system!  If I could pay doctors and hospitals what the insurance company pay, I would only need catastrophic insurance coverage. Oh, and if the doctor or hospital doesn't accept the insurance company's reimbursement amount...guess who has to pay.

 

2012-12-03 8:04 PM
in reply to: #4520265

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Port Colborne, Ontario
Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.

Socks - 2012-12-03 8:43 PM
RVachon - 2012-12-03 7:37 PM One of the perks of living in Canada.  I end up in the hospital after wrecking my bike it cost me $0, doesn't matter if I'm there a month.
But if you need elective surgery you will have to wait 12-18 months.  There is always a trade off.  There is a reason Canadians fly to Tampa in the winter and pay cash for their joint replacements and its because they don't want to be in pain for 18 months

Most people can go a lifetime without elective surgery but not without emergency & Dr. services, so hardly a trade-off IMO.  And those wait times vary considerably throughout the country.  Some areas are closer to 6 months.

People that go to the US for those procedures are the usually the ones that have money and don't really need the free healthcare to begin with.

2012-12-03 8:04 PM
in reply to: #4520265

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Port Colborne, Ontario
Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.

dp



Edited by RVachon 2012-12-03 8:05 PM


2012-12-03 8:30 PM
in reply to: #4520289

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Champion
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Williamston, Michigan
Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.
RVachon - 2012-12-03 8:04 PM

Socks - 2012-12-03 8:43 PM
RVachon - 2012-12-03 7:37 PM One of the perks of living in Canada.  I end up in the hospital after wrecking my bike it cost me $0, doesn't matter if I'm there a month.
But if you need elective surgery you will have to wait 12-18 months.  There is always a trade off.  There is a reason Canadians fly to Tampa in the winter and pay cash for their joint replacements and its because they don't want to be in pain for 18 months

Most people can go a lifetime without elective surgery but not without emergency & Dr. services, so hardly a trade-off IMO.  And those wait times vary considerably throughout the country.  Some areas are closer to 6 months.

People that go to the US for those procedures are the usually the ones that have money and don't really need the free healthcare to begin with.

Just wait til you tear your meniscus or ACL or rotator cuff and you can't do sports til you get fixed and have to wait 12-18 months. I have seen many international college athletes loose their scholarships because they were a soccer athlete who tore up their knee playing basketball for fun.  The college won't pay because its not their scholarship sport and their countries nationalized health care says tough cookies you loose you college education get in line and you can have surgery in a year if you are lucky.  Even Medicaid in the US (basically nationalized healthcare )does not have to wait 6 months.  I am in healthcare.  I know this. 

2012-12-03 8:32 PM
in reply to: #4520266

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Champion
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Williamston, Michigan
Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.
vonschnapps - 2012-12-03 7:43 PM
ImSore - 2012-12-03 7:18 PM

Hope she is insured.

I am in healthcare, and I still dont get how they could charge that much cash, then get reimbursed at a much lower rate, then collect a standard copay.   I think an individual paying cash should get to say, "nope, too much, this is what I am giving you," like an insurance company would.

I agree, but it won't happen.  The new healthcare insurance model is sort of like a 'member discount club'.  My company switched to a HSA system, same insurance carriers, same type of coverage, and worse of all; same premiums.  But now I have to pay the first $4k and 20% of the remainder up to $8k out of pocket (in addition to over $7k/yr in premiums).  What do I get?  Well the insurance company sent us a statement of the last doctors visit, we had to pay everything since we didn't reach the $4k. However, they showed us how much they saved us by comparing what we would have paid if we didn't have their insurance.  What a stupid system!  If I could pay doctors and hospitals what the insurance company pay, I would only need catastrophic insurance coverage. Oh, and if the doctor or hospital doesn't accept the insurance company's reimbursement amount...guess who has to pay.

 

We are creating insurance that will pay for nothing. It will get worse before it gets better. 

2012-12-03 8:33 PM
in reply to: #4520160

Iron Donkey
38643
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Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.
Why am I doing this???
2012-12-03 8:35 PM
in reply to: #4520160

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Expert
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McAllen
Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.
I had an accident with an arm break and severe concussion. The local hospital didn't wanna touch me so they med evac'ed me to another place. $36k for the flight, $18k for preliminary scans like CT and MRI, $1200 for ambulance, couple thousand for sitting in the hospital that didn't wanna work with me, and i haven't even seen the 4-day stay, drugs, and surgery at the second hospital yet. Thank God I'm insured.

But yeah that's an example of a 50 minute chopper ride. They wouldn't even let me look out the window.
2012-12-03 8:36 PM
in reply to: #4520160

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Elite
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Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.

mmmm if I had all that emergency treatment here in Australia or indeed in England where I'm from - it would cost me nothing.

Ambulance I pay yearly here - $120 for the family per year.  This is a bargain, if you get airlifted out of somewhere by a chopper that's $6000.

Everything else is covered by medicare here in Oz and by the national health service in the UK.  We pay some tax to get it.  It's worth it.

As a family we also have private health insurance for other stuff - eg, surgery where you may otherwise hit a waiting list, orthodontics for my daughter who will definitely need that!

If I was hit with a $12000 healthcare bill - I'd have to sell the house.



2012-12-03 8:39 PM
in reply to: #4520160


1660
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Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.
Are you folks with $10k+ bills footing a majority of it, or is insurance coughing up the vast majority of it? Most folks have HSAs and insurance that cover almost all of it over $2000 or so.
2012-12-03 8:47 PM
in reply to: #4520315

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Payson, AZ
Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.

odpaul7 - 2012-12-03 7:35 PM I had an accident with an arm break and severe concussion. The local hospital didn't wanna touch me so they med evac'ed me to another place. $36k for the flight, $18k for preliminary scans like CT and MRI, $1200 for ambulance, couple thousand for sitting in the hospital that didn't wanna work with me, and i haven't even seen the 4-day stay, drugs, and surgery at the second hospital yet. Thank God I'm insured.

But yeah that's an example of a 50 minute chopper ride. They wouldn't even let me look out the window.

Wait, what kind of hospital were you in that they could not treat you for an arm break and a concussion?  That's lame. 

2012-12-03 8:50 PM
in reply to: #4520332

Master
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Northern IL
Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.
bzgl40 - 2012-12-03 8:47 PM

odpaul7 - 2012-12-03 7:35 PM I had an accident with an arm break and severe concussion. The local hospital didn't wanna touch me so they med evac'ed me to another place. $36k for the flight, $18k for preliminary scans like CT and MRI, $1200 for ambulance, couple thousand for sitting in the hospital that didn't wanna work with me, and i haven't even seen the 4-day stay, drugs, and surgery at the second hospital yet. Thank God I'm insured.

But yeah that's an example of a 50 minute chopper ride. They wouldn't even let me look out the window.

Wait, what kind of hospital were you in that they could not treat you for an arm break and a concussion?  That's lame. 

Or what was so severe it required a med evac?? (If you don't mind sharing)

2012-12-03 8:52 PM
in reply to: #4520332

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Fernandina Beach, FL
Subject: RE: The $12,000 Ironman.
bzgl40 - 2012-12-03 9:47 PM

odpaul7 - 2012-12-03 7:35 PM I had an accident with an arm break and severe concussion. The local hospital didn't wanna touch me so they med evac'ed me to another place. $36k for the flight, $18k for preliminary scans like CT and MRI, $1200 for ambulance, couple thousand for sitting in the hospital that didn't wanna work with me, and i haven't even seen the 4-day stay, drugs, and surgery at the second hospital yet. Thank God I'm insured.

But yeah that's an example of a 50 minute chopper ride. They wouldn't even let me look out the window.

Wait, what kind of hospital were you in that they could not treat you for an arm break and a concussion?  That's lame. 

X2. I figure a broken arm and a concussion are pretty much "easy" injuries for hospitals. Don't know what constitutes a severe concussion. My last concussion was snowboarding in Colorado and insurance covered it all. Wasn't bad though. Didn't ruin my vacation but now wear a helmet.

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