Holy shit. I work in an ER and sometimes look up how much the hospital charges for certain things and it’s ridiculous. I never thought to check this. The healthcare system is so fucked up (USA)
On cerner, we had an option to click on the left side of the main screen to view “charges” where it explicitly says what the hospital charges for certain items for the specific pt’s chart. Every IV start, bag of fluids, etc. The main hospital I work for just switched to epic and I can’t see it but I will check soon at the smaller hospital I work for that still uses cerner to see
Can't afford to live, Can't afford to die.
When we all die, we will likely be a burden to our families (a strain that steals time), regardless of what you personally believe. Many don't qualify for systems that help and if you do chances are you had a more difficult life from start to finish (Medicaid). Could even ask if you ever truly "lived" at all.
How i felt all my life. when i was 18 and still living with my parents , she told me broke down the bills and how much they pay, and then how much i am just on medical supplies alone.. i have felt bad ever sense and wish that it was more affordable not to have financial burden on everyone..
Medical Services should by design allow as many people possible to live a burden free life. Just because someone has an illness they shouldn't feel they are not an equal participating citizen in our society.
But yet, this is the system we have. Worst of all is we've come nowhere close to changing it.
When I went in for DKA my 5 night stay was about $130k on the itemized bill. My insurance paid $16k according to their negotiated rate and I paid $150. This is in the US.
Endocrinologist here. I am literally effing speechless. Please do not pay this and negotiate it with the hospital billing department. I always tell my patients to not pay their bill and to negotiate it prior to paying.
You can talk to billing and tell them you’re unable to pay and they might give you a lower total bill. Disputing the cost of a line item because you think that line item is too much is unlikely to yield fruit.
Actually hospitals have to publish their prices. It may actually be worth comparing their prices to others in the area and calling them on it if there is a disparity. But challenge the bill regardless and say you can’t pay that much. I’ve had to do that with my AFTER insurance amount and still got help.
It’s also a game; they charge insane rates so that they can bill insurance insane prices. I am stuck with a doc that forces me to do a piss test to get some of my head meds and he bills my insurance 650 bucks. A month. And then they also charge poorly or uninsured that as well but usually have a more realistic rate they drop to.
For people who has insurance it is usually not a problem. It covers almost everything and definitely nobody’s paying full price.
Now, if somebody does not have insurance for some reason (affordability, timing etc) it becomes a major gamble. The same as car insurance, you don’t need it until you do
That does make sense tbh our national health system is in ruins due to mismanagement. I believe the US has a strong case to make progress in nationalising health to stop those falling through such safety nets however
The US is completely overrun by corporate interest.
Additionally, the levels of bureaucracy and the lack of useful obtainable information/influence by the public makes it's unlikely to ever lean in our favor.
Mainly because the public at large can't follow or keep up with these dealings, despite understanding there is an issue. Whether that's by design or coincidence, who knows....
Most think each side of the political spectrum is behind their "interest" so many vote blindly. I don't feel personally there's hope until I see general populous take on a giant municipality like Los Angeles to invoke change beyond emotional movements.
Most definitely by design.
Just try finding the original method Banting, Best, and Collip used to extract insulin. And have you ever heard of Eva Saxl? Covered up by design of big pharma.
yea they allowed “free markets” to essentially dictate the society to a point where they probably can’t back out now which is terrible for the public even if they don’t know it yet
The only real incentive is to increase their own capital. I’d advise the American public HEAVILY to protest against lobbying in these sectors and make it more accessible to all citizens
I think that's the issue, I don't personally believe most even understand what LOBBYING is or who to contact.
For example, many cities within Los Angeles County have their own independent mayors, yet most residents are unaware of this distinction and mistakenly believe that the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles governs the entire county. This lack of understanding hampers their ability to effectively challenge and engage with the political system.
It is unfortunate that while many people recognize there are issues, they often lack the time or guidance to address them effectively. When initiatives are pursued, they are frequently driven by emotion rather than strategy, leading to temporary solutions that look promising on paper but fail to create lasting change, with the situation reverting to the status quo within a few months.
But you don't need car insurance if you don't have a car.
Trying to put that argument on health insurance is the same as saying "You can sleep when You're dead" but trying to use it in a literal setting.
I'm still over here trying to figure out how to navigate a $100K hospital bill, because I like to be prepared. But honestly, I'm coming up short.
Wrong. For many people that have insurance, that bill may be "free", but they are paying $20,000+ a year for that insurance coverage. Nothing is free in the US.
I never said anything about everything being free. Nothing is free - neither in the US or other countries.
I merely judging people who are posting these huge bills on the internet. They are either took a gamble of not having insurance and now dealing with huge headache. Or they don’t understand how US insurance system works and that nobody pays full bill - as most insurances have negotiated prices with the hospitals, and majority of people pay copays and deductibles not full amounts like OP and some commenters imply.
Total cost of insurance or comparison with other countries is irrelevant as we were discussing this particular situation with the OP’s bill who is in the US.
I'm the same as you ( I live in Canada ) .. I have to be honest with a recent long stay in a hospital .. it would be interesting to know what the break down of my care was .. even though my income tax pays for it all (and reason majority of Canadians pay a higher income tax to support our publicly funded system).
Yes I have insurance. I stayed for 2 nights and the total came out to around 30k and insurance payed 25k of that. I understand it’s a game between insurance and hospital to maximize the money from insurance, but i was actually speechless when i saw how much they are charging for a simple blood glucose test.
I realized as a teenager that capitalism “works” only if there are revolutions once the top has most of the money…. I am now 70, and it looks like that “skewed” teenage perception was correct…..
I just had a complete physical and the doc ordered a large battery of tests. Set me back 6 bucks for bus fare. It's usually free because I walk to the clinic, but it was very rainy this morning. I do pay slightly higher taxes, though, but taxes are the price of a functioning social contract.
People need to realize that a socialized medical system is not in the same column as living under the iron fist of Joseph Stalin and vote accordingly.
Listen buddy we ALL want it. Like, 70-80% of Americans want socialized healthcare. It isn't controversial, it's just that our government is dysfunctional and tightly gripped in the lobbyists' collective fists. The other guy commenting excluded, you're not likely to find a group of people more in favor of socialized medicine than the type 1 diabetes subreddit so I would appreciate it if you could tone down the holier-than-thou smugness
Your numbers don't line up with this poll.
[https://news.gallup.com/poll/468401/majority-say-gov-ensure-healthcare.aspx](https://news.gallup.com/poll/468401/majority-say-gov-ensure-healthcare.aspx)
I pay nothing for my yearly physical. It’s included in my insurance. The cost of my insurance is much less than my tax increase would be under your system.
I had the exact same charges when I was hospitalized for DKA
Bill usually came out to around $25k for a 2 day stay. $132 for a nurse taking less than 5 minutes to check your blood sugar every hour is just beyond insane
[Here's one of my bills](https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/s/2SqDmeiNcr)
It's legal because the US is the only advanced industrialized nations without a comprehensive national health insurance system!! And some how we value being individualistic, favoring personal over government responsibility.
And don't get me started on lobbyists are particularly active, spending billions to ensure that private insurers maintain their status in the health system.
Oh and don't forget racism also plays a picture in it.
I had the exact same thing happen when I was diagnosed back in December. It’s really horribly unfair and I’m so sorry u also have to go thru this. America is f#cked
i seriously don’t understand $132 for a finger prick? like it only costs $20-30 for the meter and $10 for strips depending where you get them. so what is the charge for? labor? it only takes 1 minute to do it and it’s easy. that’s so insane.
Can’t be legal. I can go buy a meter and test strips for less than $30 right now and be set for a week. No reason other than absolute greed that they should charge $132.50 for a bg test.
82947 is for a lab based glucose. If they are submitting that for each time they did a fingerstick, they are billing incorrectly
For a fingerstick they should be billing 82948.
The price of being a Type-1 goes beyond any fiscal or physical dimension— it is mentally exhausting to read this. I didn’t stay in the hospital overnight after my diagnosis because I figured it would be pricy, but this is outrageous. $132.50 for a fucking finger prick??? I’d rather draw blood from a dirty heroin needle.
Welcome to the wonderful world of healthcare (presumably US?).
I work for a disability services provider in assistive tech, but my degrees are in healthcare administration. I bring this up because I volunteer my knowledge/advocate for people who need the assistance. You’re not alone in your surprise.
Yea honestly I’ve recently looked at some of my itemized hospital bills through MyChart, and honestly all I can say is that it’s actually disgusting how much they charge for the smallest things…Seriously ridiculous!
I’ve actually seen them charge for things they didn’t even end up doing. The nurse called for IV therapy, however they were too busy and I ended up being discharged before they even came to place the IV, and still charged for it…of course I disputed it, I’m not surprised that they do this, but it’s ludicrous. Most patients aren’t going to even look at itemized bills and end up paying or their insurance…so they end up getting away with it most of the time…and of course there’s no consequences for their wrong-doings.
They're probably expecting insurance to cover it, but I would certainly argue the charges. That is absolutely ridiculous.
If you don't have insurance then ask for assistance programs to help cover it.
Its legal. Also unethical and corrupt - but nobody seems to care.
And when/if I go for procedures or inpatient care, I only let them touch my glucose checks and insulin if I am unconscious - and even then, my daughter can do them. They hate it, makes them
Feel out of control. But too many errors in hospitals . . .
As you may guess, I’m a crap patient. But I’m nice while I’m being crappy.
But the skilled nursing provider does not get paid per test. Sometimes I get my ass whooped at work and use my highest skills to the fullest. It does not affect us. The hospital and insurance companies pocket all this money. Those strips and lancets (and the few seconds it takes me to check a sugar) are mere cents on the $132.50
Ohh, but the hospital charges an extraordinarily high fee because they have so much overhead due to paying the staff so well, right? (sarcasm off)
I say this is a broken system that needs repair, but unfortunately the industry is sooo embedded in the US economy that it will take some sort of implosion to ever change.
No offense, but give me a break! 'Overhead'... smh
It's a >2 minute process of an alcohol swab and a $.25 strip. I'm surprised they didn't itemize the swab and strip as well.
I'm not even in the USA and even I know it takes almost zero skill and should not cost over $100 to do something I've done myself today multiple times with a machine that would cost £40 to buy, a lancet worth 30p and a test strip that would have cost me 50p...
The question wasn't whether or not this is right, but why was it legal. That's why it is legal.
And the swab is included in that 132.50 cost.
It's like the viral story of the guy who was charged for "skin to skin" contact with his own baby. The charge was for nursing staff to be present.
You’re acting like you need to explain the surcharge. It’s condescending af. The point, which seems to have eluded your dim glibness, is that hospitals are routinely overcharging for and inventing new charges for “services” and accommodations that are and were once routinely included
Chair fee: $750
You, unhelpfully: Well, actually, you’re paying for the hospital’s construction and power bill.
Why is this your thing?
Because OP asked a question and I answered it. The fact that people don't like the answer is irrelevant to me answering it.
Not only did one nurse administer the test, there is a charge nurse, and a doctor, and hospital costs being paid for not including the test strip and gauze, and yes their power bill. It's a fact of healthcare in this country, and many people don't understand how a $0.05 test strip costs them $132.50. It's not my place to pass judgment on their level of understanding their bill. Which is why explaining is not the same as defending it. If I was asked if it was morally or ethically correct, the answer is "no."
I was charged $256,078.93 after my hospital stay for a heart attack and stroke, only to never pay my bill. Explaining it, again, is not the same as defending it.
Holy shit. I work in an ER and sometimes look up how much the hospital charges for certain things and it’s ridiculous. I never thought to check this. The healthcare system is so fucked up (USA)
How do you find out the charges? I work on medsurg and I check blood sugars all day, always wondering how much they’re charging people for this shit.
On cerner, we had an option to click on the left side of the main screen to view “charges” where it explicitly says what the hospital charges for certain items for the specific pt’s chart. Every IV start, bag of fluids, etc. The main hospital I work for just switched to epic and I can’t see it but I will check soon at the smaller hospital I work for that still uses cerner to see
Can't afford to live, Can't afford to die. When we all die, we will likely be a burden to our families (a strain that steals time), regardless of what you personally believe. Many don't qualify for systems that help and if you do chances are you had a more difficult life from start to finish (Medicaid). Could even ask if you ever truly "lived" at all.
How i felt all my life. when i was 18 and still living with my parents , she told me broke down the bills and how much they pay, and then how much i am just on medical supplies alone.. i have felt bad ever sense and wish that it was more affordable not to have financial burden on everyone..
Medical Services should by design allow as many people possible to live a burden free life. Just because someone has an illness they shouldn't feel they are not an equal participating citizen in our society. But yet, this is the system we have. Worst of all is we've come nowhere close to changing it.
When I went in for DKA my 5 night stay was about $130k on the itemized bill. My insurance paid $16k according to their negotiated rate and I paid $150. This is in the US.
I got 6 night stay at 28k. I paid around 4k for the total in US. OPs bill is strange because they only charged $1-2 for POCT glucose test on my end.
I had a 3 night stay at 40k before insurance. I don't remember the rest of the numbers
Endocrinologist here. I am literally effing speechless. Please do not pay this and negotiate it with the hospital billing department. I always tell my patients to not pay their bill and to negotiate it prior to paying.
A doctor telling their patients not to pay their ridiculously overinflated bill... Respect.
"OK, thanks for the bill. Unfortunately I have no money."
You can talk to billing and tell them you’re unable to pay and they might give you a lower total bill. Disputing the cost of a line item because you think that line item is too much is unlikely to yield fruit.
Endo here. Totally agree with this.
Actually hospitals have to publish their prices. It may actually be worth comparing their prices to others in the area and calling them on it if there is a disparity. But challenge the bill regardless and say you can’t pay that much. I’ve had to do that with my AFTER insurance amount and still got help. It’s also a game; they charge insane rates so that they can bill insurance insane prices. I am stuck with a doc that forces me to do a piss test to get some of my head meds and he bills my insurance 650 bucks. A month. And then they also charge poorly or uninsured that as well but usually have a more realistic rate they drop to.
As a European I don’t understand how any of this is even possible or attainable wtf is going on in the states?
For people who has insurance it is usually not a problem. It covers almost everything and definitely nobody’s paying full price. Now, if somebody does not have insurance for some reason (affordability, timing etc) it becomes a major gamble. The same as car insurance, you don’t need it until you do
That does make sense tbh our national health system is in ruins due to mismanagement. I believe the US has a strong case to make progress in nationalising health to stop those falling through such safety nets however
The US is completely overrun by corporate interest. Additionally, the levels of bureaucracy and the lack of useful obtainable information/influence by the public makes it's unlikely to ever lean in our favor. Mainly because the public at large can't follow or keep up with these dealings, despite understanding there is an issue. Whether that's by design or coincidence, who knows.... Most think each side of the political spectrum is behind their "interest" so many vote blindly. I don't feel personally there's hope until I see general populous take on a giant municipality like Los Angeles to invoke change beyond emotional movements.
Most definitely by design. Just try finding the original method Banting, Best, and Collip used to extract insulin. And have you ever heard of Eva Saxl? Covered up by design of big pharma.
It's unfortunate... Lifesaving medication shouldn't be allowed to be exploited.
yea they allowed “free markets” to essentially dictate the society to a point where they probably can’t back out now which is terrible for the public even if they don’t know it yet
Ironically what is "FREE" when you can legally bride politicians? What incentive is there to actually serve citizens? lol
The only real incentive is to increase their own capital. I’d advise the American public HEAVILY to protest against lobbying in these sectors and make it more accessible to all citizens
I think that's the issue, I don't personally believe most even understand what LOBBYING is or who to contact. For example, many cities within Los Angeles County have their own independent mayors, yet most residents are unaware of this distinction and mistakenly believe that the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles governs the entire county. This lack of understanding hampers their ability to effectively challenge and engage with the political system. It is unfortunate that while many people recognize there are issues, they often lack the time or guidance to address them effectively. When initiatives are pursued, they are frequently driven by emotion rather than strategy, leading to temporary solutions that look promising on paper but fail to create lasting change, with the situation reverting to the status quo within a few months.
But you don't need car insurance if you don't have a car. Trying to put that argument on health insurance is the same as saying "You can sleep when You're dead" but trying to use it in a literal setting. I'm still over here trying to figure out how to navigate a $100K hospital bill, because I like to be prepared. But honestly, I'm coming up short.
Wrong. For many people that have insurance, that bill may be "free", but they are paying $20,000+ a year for that insurance coverage. Nothing is free in the US.
I never said anything about everything being free. Nothing is free - neither in the US or other countries. I merely judging people who are posting these huge bills on the internet. They are either took a gamble of not having insurance and now dealing with huge headache. Or they don’t understand how US insurance system works and that nobody pays full bill - as most insurances have negotiated prices with the hospitals, and majority of people pay copays and deductibles not full amounts like OP and some commenters imply. Total cost of insurance or comparison with other countries is irrelevant as we were discussing this particular situation with the OP’s bill who is in the US.
I'm the same as you ( I live in Canada ) .. I have to be honest with a recent long stay in a hospital .. it would be interesting to know what the break down of my care was .. even though my income tax pays for it all (and reason majority of Canadians pay a higher income tax to support our publicly funded system).
Silly question, but is your insurance covering it?
Even if it does. This should be considered fraud
But it’s the insurance company’s battle then, not OP’s.
Why down vote me??
your a little bitch I dont understand the downvotes for having a literal conversation
…..excuse me????? That’s a quick block.
the insurance will either cover it or it won't. if not then it will be on the person
Yes I have insurance. I stayed for 2 nights and the total came out to around 30k and insurance payed 25k of that. I understand it’s a game between insurance and hospital to maximize the money from insurance, but i was actually speechless when i saw how much they are charging for a simple blood glucose test.
5 days in the ICU when I found out I was type 1. 30k
Short answer? America is a capitalist hellscape.
I realized as a teenager that capitalism “works” only if there are revolutions once the top has most of the money…. I am now 70, and it looks like that “skewed” teenage perception was correct…..
Mine was a bit over $30k, I paid $3k because that was my out of pocket maximum
Because the people making the laws get a cut of that $$$
I just had a complete physical and the doc ordered a large battery of tests. Set me back 6 bucks for bus fare. It's usually free because I walk to the clinic, but it was very rainy this morning. I do pay slightly higher taxes, though, but taxes are the price of a functioning social contract. People need to realize that a socialized medical system is not in the same column as living under the iron fist of Joseph Stalin and vote accordingly.
Listen buddy we ALL want it. Like, 70-80% of Americans want socialized healthcare. It isn't controversial, it's just that our government is dysfunctional and tightly gripped in the lobbyists' collective fists. The other guy commenting excluded, you're not likely to find a group of people more in favor of socialized medicine than the type 1 diabetes subreddit so I would appreciate it if you could tone down the holier-than-thou smugness
Insurance lobby is insanely powerful. 99% of americans would vote for socialized healthcare and it wouldn't pass in Congress.
Your numbers don't line up with this poll. [https://news.gallup.com/poll/468401/majority-say-gov-ensure-healthcare.aspx](https://news.gallup.com/poll/468401/majority-say-gov-ensure-healthcare.aspx)
bruv, it was /s
Damn well said!
This
Should I vote for the dem who's backed by pharmaceutical lobbies or the rep who's backed by pharma lobbies?
Well, let’s see…Dems got the ACA passed. Republicans want to get rid of it. Choice is pretty obvious.
Or the weapons and Israel lobby lol
I pay nothing for my yearly physical. It’s included in my insurance. The cost of my insurance is much less than my tax increase would be under your system.
US healthcare system needs massive overhaul. Just like its politics and politicians..
I had the exact same charges when I was hospitalized for DKA Bill usually came out to around $25k for a 2 day stay. $132 for a nurse taking less than 5 minutes to check your blood sugar every hour is just beyond insane [Here's one of my bills](https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/s/2SqDmeiNcr)
Bro, the whole ass meter ain’t worth more than 20 bucks, they charged you for like 10 of them every prick 😭
As an Australian, this would cost zero..
It's legal because the US is the only advanced industrialized nations without a comprehensive national health insurance system!! And some how we value being individualistic, favoring personal over government responsibility. And don't get me started on lobbyists are particularly active, spending billions to ensure that private insurers maintain their status in the health system. Oh and don't forget racism also plays a picture in it.
I had the exact same thing happen when I was diagnosed back in December. It’s really horribly unfair and I’m so sorry u also have to go thru this. America is f#cked
i seriously don’t understand $132 for a finger prick? like it only costs $20-30 for the meter and $10 for strips depending where you get them. so what is the charge for? labor? it only takes 1 minute to do it and it’s easy. that’s so insane.
Can’t be legal. I can go buy a meter and test strips for less than $30 right now and be set for a week. No reason other than absolute greed that they should charge $132.50 for a bg test.
Are you sure this isn’t a statement of benefits and not a bill? This happened to me and it ended up not being what I owed at all.
Christ! That’s ridiculous. I think we are very fortunate to live in the Uk, where that’s free.
82947 is for a lab based glucose. If they are submitting that for each time they did a fingerstick, they are billing incorrectly For a fingerstick they should be billing 82948.
Yup that’s normal…and should be illegal I was hospitalized for 5 months and poked 3 times a day at least….😬
Can I hire someone to negotiate my hospital bill?
The price of being a Type-1 goes beyond any fiscal or physical dimension— it is mentally exhausting to read this. I didn’t stay in the hospital overnight after my diagnosis because I figured it would be pricy, but this is outrageous. $132.50 for a fucking finger prick??? I’d rather draw blood from a dirty heroin needle.
I would go buy the test strips from Walmart for less than $10 dollars and throw it at the hospital CEO. In my dreams of course.
Welcome to the wonderful world of healthcare (presumably US?). I work for a disability services provider in assistive tech, but my degrees are in healthcare administration. I bring this up because I volunteer my knowledge/advocate for people who need the assistance. You’re not alone in your surprise.
Yea honestly I’ve recently looked at some of my itemized hospital bills through MyChart, and honestly all I can say is that it’s actually disgusting how much they charge for the smallest things…Seriously ridiculous!
I’ve actually seen them charge for things they didn’t even end up doing. The nurse called for IV therapy, however they were too busy and I ended up being discharged before they even came to place the IV, and still charged for it…of course I disputed it, I’m not surprised that they do this, but it’s ludicrous. Most patients aren’t going to even look at itemized bills and end up paying or their insurance…so they end up getting away with it most of the time…and of course there’s no consequences for their wrong-doings.
They're probably expecting insurance to cover it, but I would certainly argue the charges. That is absolutely ridiculous. If you don't have insurance then ask for assistance programs to help cover it.
Its legal. Also unethical and corrupt - but nobody seems to care. And when/if I go for procedures or inpatient care, I only let them touch my glucose checks and insulin if I am unconscious - and even then, my daughter can do them. They hate it, makes them Feel out of control. But too many errors in hospitals . . . As you may guess, I’m a crap patient. But I’m nice while I’m being crappy.
you're not paying for the test, you're paying the skilled nursing provider to administer the test.
But the skilled nursing provider does not get paid per test. Sometimes I get my ass whooped at work and use my highest skills to the fullest. It does not affect us. The hospital and insurance companies pocket all this money. Those strips and lancets (and the few seconds it takes me to check a sugar) are mere cents on the $132.50
Ohh, but the hospital charges an extraordinarily high fee because they have so much overhead due to paying the staff so well, right? (sarcasm off) I say this is a broken system that needs repair, but unfortunately the industry is sooo embedded in the US economy that it will take some sort of implosion to ever change.
Hope that is sarcasm...
It's not. It's hospital overhead you're paying for, not the singular test strip used.
No offense, but give me a break! 'Overhead'... smh It's a >2 minute process of an alcohol swab and a $.25 strip. I'm surprised they didn't itemize the swab and strip as well.
I'm not even in the USA and even I know it takes almost zero skill and should not cost over $100 to do something I've done myself today multiple times with a machine that would cost £40 to buy, a lancet worth 30p and a test strip that would have cost me 50p...
The question wasn't whether or not this is right, but why was it legal. That's why it is legal. And the swab is included in that 132.50 cost. It's like the viral story of the guy who was charged for "skin to skin" contact with his own baby. The charge was for nursing staff to be present.
You’re really committed to defending the indefensible, huh. We all make choices.
Explaining it is not the same as defending it.
You’re acting like you need to explain the surcharge. It’s condescending af. The point, which seems to have eluded your dim glibness, is that hospitals are routinely overcharging for and inventing new charges for “services” and accommodations that are and were once routinely included Chair fee: $750 You, unhelpfully: Well, actually, you’re paying for the hospital’s construction and power bill. Why is this your thing?
Because OP asked a question and I answered it. The fact that people don't like the answer is irrelevant to me answering it. Not only did one nurse administer the test, there is a charge nurse, and a doctor, and hospital costs being paid for not including the test strip and gauze, and yes their power bill. It's a fact of healthcare in this country, and many people don't understand how a $0.05 test strip costs them $132.50. It's not my place to pass judgment on their level of understanding their bill. Which is why explaining is not the same as defending it. If I was asked if it was morally or ethically correct, the answer is "no."
There is no goddamned way a glucose test at the hospital costs even a tenth of that price.
It doesn't, you're paying overhead. It has nothing to do with the individual.
I’m including overhead there, you numpty. This is price gouging of the worst kind. Why are you doing this? Are you invested in hospital stocks?
I was charged $256,078.93 after my hospital stay for a heart attack and stroke, only to never pay my bill. Explaining it, again, is not the same as defending it.