The $85,000 Phone Bill > Am I the only one?

Am I the only one?

I have read in WSJ about 1 million dollars bill from hospital. A guy has almost died because the doctors have misdiagnosed him couple of times and then he spent like half-year in hospitals. His insurance was capped at 2 million dollars and he went over cap by 1 million more. And he was in and out of coma and so on. And when he was released from last hospital, the first call he got was from the hospital to pay up. Anyway, when it went to the news, the hospital decided to make it pro bono. But the thing is that they overcharge in hospitals for everything. Some small things that cost $30 on internet, they changed $3000. They were saying that is cost of doing business. But it is rather "I can get away with it, so I will do it". And the guy probably did not read the contracts either, but I am not sure whether he was even able to do it in his state. There should be some courtesy, if something happens out of ordinary and it is a huge corporation, it can be humane. I can understand, when it is a small company, may be they have no choice but ask to pay.

Small companies? OK. But screw those "big companies"... they should sell everything at a loss.

reply to decadent
I was once charged $60 for a metal finger splint and another $65 for the nurse to crimp it on. I was pissed, but I know why. Are you telling me you don't?

How do you think the Hospitals can still afford to pay the bills when you have millions of illegal immigrants pouring into the country flooding the ER's using them like Doctor offices and/or jumping the fence to have little anchor babies? Then, on top of that you have trial lawyers like Johnny Edwards suing doctors and hospitals for millions. Someone has to pay for that. Welcome to the $59 profit on the finger splint they bought for $1.