I have always had a healthy respect for health insurance and always been grateful when I've had employers who offer it. That could never be more true than now. Billings and insurance explanations of benefits have been coming in regularly, but most haven't been too notable. I was a bit shocked at my first PET scan billing, over fourteen thousand dollars. I felt really lucky to have the health insurance then. But that pales in comparison to the billing that just came in for the actual surgery. Holy expensive Batman! Around a hundred grand for my trouble. And we only owe a hundred dollars, a fraction of a fraction. This is nuts. I claim no understanding of insurance billings and medical costs, and I'm not the political sort to be more than nominally aware of related legislation. But I don't want to try to imagine going through this with those kinds of bills hanging over my head. My complete sympathy goes out to those who do. And another reason I feel blessed despite the circumstances.
Amen. I have sleep apnea. I think I paid about $800 out of $10,000+ costs in testing & durable medical equipment (my c-pap).
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I had a 5 day stay in a psych hospital in 2001. I had insurance, but they ruled it a pre-existing condition (which was true). They paid zero. I just finished paying off that bill last year - at $50 a month for 10 years. You do the math.
We're so there with you. It's a bizarre moment when you're thinking "Gee, there's several zeroes there that I don't have to pay". I'm glad that this isn't an additional stresser on you, and you can concentrate on the healing part.
ReplyDeleteMy knee cost fifty thousand all told. Weird that it was less expensive to stay in college for an extra semester to stay on my parents health insurance than to graduate on time. I'm so glad you don't have to deal with the fleecing of individual health insurance. Thar be monsters. O.o
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