Woman Gets Stung By Scorpion, Goes to Hospital for AntiVenom, Gets $83,000 Bill

[heavenlyboy34]

I count about 15 felonies there.

Arrest and prison is what would happen.

I only counted 6. Lil' help, plz? Thnx.

 

[The Free Hornet]

I only counted 6. Lil' help, plz? Thnx.

Prefix "conspiracy to" and that doubles everything.

 

[donnay]

This is a good example of how crony capitalism works.

 

[MelissaWV]

OK, I haven't read down the thread, but what's the shelf life on this? Most people don't develop allergic reactions to scorpion stings, so it's pretty safe to assume that most people don't go to the hospital to get the antidote.

So, depending on how long the antidote stays fresh, and how often they have to throw it away can have an effect on the price to the consumer. In theory, she may have been paying for 10 vials that got thrown away.

The Instructions for Use states she should have had 3 vials to start with. At "cost" within the US ($3500/ea), that is still over $10,000 and it does not include the time and materials used in the ER. It would appear the huge number is her total ER bill, although the article is not really that specific on the matter.

 

[jkob]

Yikes. What's even worse is that anti-venom for bark scorpion stings aren't usually even medically necessary unless you're in at risk group or allergic.

 

[HOLLYWOOD]

Most physicians working in Hospitals will tell you ERs lose money. So, they try to steal every $ they can from those who can pay.

Man, Inflation has skyrocketed costs... that "Dislocated Thumb" treated in the ER was a bargain @ $20,000.

 

[tttppp]

Most physicians working in Hospitals will tell you ERs lose money. So, they try to steal every $ they can from those who can pay.

Man, Inflation has skyrocketed costs... that "Dislocated Thumb" treated in the ER was a bargain @ $20,000.

They lose money because they do try to steal money from whoever can pay. I would have paid for their services they gave me, even if they overcharged me a little. I gave them nothing because they outright tried to scam me. Even after I disputed their bill over the phone and in writing, they refused to negotiate a fair price or payment plan and just placed my account into collections and fucked my credit report. This is just bad business practice and they deserve to lose money.

 

[juleswin]

Thank god those bastards didn't tell her the price of the anti venom. She would have been dead just from sticker shocker before the venom were able to kick in.

On a side note, munching purple onion is a natural remedy for scorpion stings. I have been stung 2x myself and eating those nasty veges was all the medical intervention I needed.

 

[AgentOrange]

They lose money because they do try to steal money from whoever can pay. I would have paid for their services they gave me, even if they overcharged me a little. I gave them nothing because they outright tried to scam me. Even after I disputed their bill over the phone and in writing, they refused to negotiate a fair price or payment plan and just placed my account into collections and fucked my credit report. This is just bad business practice and they deserve to lose money.

The lose money because they are required to see every Medic-Aid patient who comes for a "cold", headlice, pregnancy check, school physical, refills on their maintenance meds on a weekend and their regular doctor's office is closed, wants free narcotics, anything else that a paying customer would never dream of going to the ER for. Medic-Aid doesn't pay all these bills, and when it does, it pays a very, very small percentage of the bill.....but all these non-ER visits require time from the staff and copious amounts of paperwork. I don't know what the ideal solution is, but the state encouraging poor people to use the ER as their primary care doctor is a big problem.

 

[specsaregood]

She should have just taken some OTC Benadryl.
They sold her anti-venom because they could.

Learn how to take care of yourself,, and to do your own repairs as much as possible.

When I got stung on the ass by a scorpion, I googled it and found out it wasnt much to worry about. I was concerned as too many cartoons had me convinced it was gonna be deadly.

 

[tttppp]

The lose money because they are required to see every Medic-Aid patient who comes for a "cold", headlice, pregnancy check, school physical, refills on their maintenance meds on a weekend and their regular doctor's office is closed, wants free narcotics, anything else that a paying customer would never dream of going to the ER for. Medic-Aid doesn't pay all these bills, and when it does, it pays a very, very small percentage of the bill.....but all these non-ER visits require time from the staff and copious amounts of paperwork. I don't know what the ideal solution is, but the state encouraging poor people to use the ER as their primary care doctor is a big problem.

If their insurance doesn't cover it, charge them. How much could a 20 minute cost? $50, and even that is overpriced. Most people can afford to pay something like $50 for a visit. A competent hospital could easily make money off of that. If you can't you shouldn't be in the business.

If you want more efficiencies, how about eliminating the bullshit paperwork? It creates no value to anyone and just wastes everyone time. When I went to an acupuncturist, there was hardly ever a wait because he didn't spend his time doing bullshit paperwork.

 

[pcosmar]

When I got stung on the ass by a scorpion, I googled it and found out it wasnt much to worry about. I was concerned as too many cartoons had me convinced it was gonna be deadly.

They're ugly. Ugly all day. And the sting can be painful. (I have been hit several times)
most are not deadly,, Some in other parts of the world are worse,, but none in the US.

Small children and weakened sick people are some concern.

This Woman was lifting an AC unit,, she doesn't fall into those categories.

 

[driller80545]

My wife was stung on her finger this afternoon. Then she killed it and that was that. Sure glad she didn't go to the ER!

 

[tod evans]

. Most people can afford to pay something like $50 for a visit. A competent hospital could easily make money off of that. If you can't you shouldn't be in the business.

Dude you're way out of touch with reality!

A competent hospital for 50 bucks?

 

[tttppp]

Dude you're way out of touch with reality!

A competent hospital for 50 bucks?

If they spend only 20 minutes with you, that's 150/hour. You mean to tell me you can't profit from 150/hour? And as I said, if you elliminate all the bullshit paperwork, you'd free up more time and increase profitability.

If you are going in there for just a cold, like the other poster suggested was the bulk of the problem, you don't need any fancy tests. Even if you did, those tests should not cost as much as they are charging.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

WalMart, who aggressively supported Obamacare, is now expanding their clinic model.

That's great. I only hope that they keep it a cash only operation.

 

[Weston White]

Why are price gouging laws are not enforced upon hospitals, insurance, attorneys, and the like? Perhaps it is time for us all to cease thinking of such professions/professionals as modern day equivalents to the Oracle of Delphi?

 

[Kregisen]

Why are price gouging laws are not enforced upon hospitals, insurance, attorneys, and the like? Perhaps it is time for us all to cease thinking of such professions/professionals as modern day equivalents to the Oracle of Delphi?

Price gouging laws shouldn't exist.

 

[Acala]

Ever shop around for that? How expensive is it and what do you get? Do you pay money to have the privilege of saying "I have coverage", yet the coverage has so much fine print and exceptions that it might not cover anything? It's a game of "get everybody to pay us", and if someone isn't paying, we'll make them suffer. Like paying protection money to the mafia.

Liability insurance is expensive and full of exclusions because tort law - the law of civil liability - is all screwed up. I wrote a book on it! Entitled "Pirates in the Courtroom: how lawyers hijacked the legal system and how we can get it back." Download YOUR copy now from the Kindle e-book store.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Liability insurance is expensive and full of exclusions because tort law - the law of civil liability - is all screwed up. I wrote a book on it! Entitled "Pirates in the Courtroom: how lawyers hijacked the legal system and how we can get it back." Download YOUR copy now from the Kindle e-book store.

Cool! Yep, tort reform is another big factor.