I referred a cardiac patient the other day for an echocardiogram. She messaged me back, saying the co-pay was $500.

[Aristus]

First time that's ever happened. But I'm guessing not the last. The idle-rich billionaire class is trying to kill us. I don't know who they think is going to do all the work that makes them rich. But we need to get some guillotines up in this bitch.

[Easterncedar]

1. Your money or your life

These effin times

[Harker]

62. First your money, then your life.

[The Roux Comes First]

80. Why Not Vice-Versa! Let Me Give You a Hand with That Will!

[gab13by13]

2. AI

The patient is supposed to ask AI instead of an ECHO.

[Prairie Gates]

3. Close to that

In December 2025, $407.75 for echocardiogram with contrast. Insurance picked up about $3400.

[leftstreet]

4. DURec

[Hassin Bin Sober]

5. My buddy went by ambulance to North Western in Chicago (big beautiful hospital downtown)

I was in the ER with him while he was all doped up on morphine and then ketamine - the nice lady from billing wheeled her little portable WiFi billing cart in the room and demanded $800 bucks on the spot.

We were both fucking amazed. Fortunately he could pay. But what if he couldn’t…

[mopinko]

6. nwm actually has a huge endowment for charity care, so

if he couldnt pay, he likely wd have gotten some help.
it’s 1 of the reasons their er is always so crowded.

[exboyfil]

51. Yes my mom had to give her credit card

The times I took her to the ER.

On the other hand my grandma got ER service without any copay/etc (she was Medicare/Medicaid LTC). I still had to cover out of my pocket the trip back to the nursing home (not strong enough to lift her from wheelchair to car seat and back again).

[Quanto Magnus]

56. I work as a motorcycle funeral escort

had a lady get into one of my processions (I hadn't seen her do that) and she randomly exited the procession when I was rolling up on her... Vehicle contact occurred.... cops/EMTs get called in.

EMT starts looking me over, asks me some of the normal questions after an accident.... Tells me he can take my blood pressure, but would then have to charge me a 'first responder fee'. I think they are supposed to do that, just simply showing up, but I think he let me slide a bit.

No one's going to be able to afford even the most basic healthcare soon.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

61. You don't work for Jeremy Dewitte, do you?

Just kidding.

Yeah, this first responder shit is out of hand. People are literally dying because they are afraid to call an ambulance.

[LuckyCharms]

87. That happened a few months ago when my wife was having a bad AFIB attack and starting to panic...

I rushed her to the ER.

She's laying there with no top on, and they are hooking her up to EKG leads.

Rep comes in and asks for a $150 co-pay.

I lost my shit and told him to get the fuck out of the room.

[Ms. Toad]

7. It is early January. Probably not the copay, but the deductible.

When I had insurance through work, I typically had a deductible from $250 to $500, before insurance kicked in. (In one job, the deductible was much higher, but also serves as the out of pocket cap.). So the first medical in event of the year was expensive since I had to pay 100%, up to the deductible.

[Sweet Freedom]

8. Unfortunately, I had a lot of imaging last year...

I'm self-employed and have an ACA plan.

My out-of-pocket expenses were:
CT $400
MRI $400
ER visit (X-ray for broken ribs; sat in the hallway) $800
Shoulder X-ray $300 ($150 for imaging + $150 for the doc. Payment due before the visit.)

On a side note, caught the flu and was told to buy an OTC flu test and then pay $67 for a telehealth visit to get meds. I sent a note that was an abuse of my finances and they called in the script.

[Nigrum Cattus]

9. here ya go

https://woodworkingnut.com/2015/10/30/how-to-make-a-guillotine/

[Bettie]

12. I know someone who suggests

a wood chipper would be more efficient.

[erronis]

20. Much messier, tho. But the visuals would be excellent.

[Ocelot II]

27. Yup.

[Bettie]

36. He says that the stain

on the ground could be set up as a monument to "shit we don't tolerate".

[lastlib]

15. Shakespeare amended:

"The first thing we do, let's kill all the billionaires."

That's a plan we could live with.

[markie]

17. let's kill all the billionaires

well, kill the ability to be a billionaire, at least

[Aristus]

38. If you're here to bash liberals, you must be at the wrong site.

Concern noted.

[Torchlight]

42. Sounds serious

Good luck!

[Torchlight]

46. I hope your day gets better

Honestly

[Torchlight]

48. Sounds serious

Good luck!

On edit... that was odd.

[Celerity]

43. GFY, troll

[GP6971]

44. You joined to say that? Enjoy your stay!!!

[Skittles]

65. spill it

what did they say? I hate it when I miss the trolls!

[GP6971]

67. There were two trolls in that thread...not sure if they were one and the same.

The one I responded to was in response to their personal attack against Aristus. I don't recall exactly what is was though.

[Skittles]

70. I always wonder about these people

they have the presidency, Congress, the Supreme Court, the mainstream media and they're STILL NOT HAPPY.......WTF

[Cha]

71. They're Inveterate Trolls.

[NewHendoLib]

75. Send a pizza to the library.

[NewHendoLib]

79. except when you haunt them to troll a website for decades

[Cha]

82. A Tombstone.

[sheshe2]

78. You are back.

Bless your heart dear.

[sheshe2]

76. Another one just responded to you!

She is back.

[Skittles]

81. AW MAN, WTF

HOW DO I KEEP MISSING THEM

[sheshe2]

83. The juries and MIRT are quick!

[Skittles]

84. I BOW TO THEM

I've seen them in action at 02:00, they don't miss a trick, er, troll

[sheshe2]

86. Trick or Troll

Their username was 'name removed'

[lonely bird]

10. Deductibles are killer

Mounjaro-$600+ for four shots
Eliquis-(fortunately, I have enough for a couple months) is probably $300+ for 3 months
Jardiance is about like Eliquis iirc.

When I hit my deductible everything basically drops to $0. For the first about 5 months things are expensive.

On a side but related note, I am uninsurable for long term care due to a combination of things including type 2 diabetes (controlled) and 4 bowel obstruction surgeries.

[Ms. Toad]

24. Sorry to butt in with unsolicited medical advice -

But I wanted to make sure your doctor told you that one of the risks of Mounjaro is bowel obstruction. These drugs are so heavily marketed that a lot of doctors didn't tell their patients about risks (and maybe aren't even aware of them).

(My doctor suggested Ozempic for me, without bothering to tell me of any of the life-altering/threatening risks. Fortunately, I'd already had friends hospitalized because of Ozempic, and have other friends living with gastroparesis (not from Ozempic - but it is one of it's risks))

[lonely bird]

69. Didn't know that

That being said my issues are caused by adhesions and scar tissue.

Thanks for the info though. I will look into it.

[Bettie]

11. I was in an auto accident Dec 19th

my regular doctor wanted an MRI, since I'm having some mechanical issues with one hip, since then.;

We have decent insurance, but it was going to cost over a thousand dollars out of pocket, to be paid up front, at the time of service.

So, I'm just hoping everything will be okay.

[FakeNoose]

16. Wow - that is shocking!

I guess they don't do x-rays anymore? They have to book up those expensive MRI machines to keep them running.

[Bettie]

19. They did xrays when I was taken to the ER

and a CT as well.

The doctor was concerned that the hip that took the hit (t-boned, I was in passenger seat) was not recovering quite as well, so she thought that it was worth the time to get the soft tissue looked at.

But, I went to our chiropractor and he was able to get it loosened up a little and it is finally improving, though I'm still not fully walking any distance on my own. Actually, the chiropractor gave me some exercises to do that really help and I wish the PT people had suggested while I was in the hospital.

[calimary]

23. Glad you're doing better, Bettie!

[erronis]

21. Guessing they recommend a specialized radiation office - where they are part owners....

[Ms. Toad]

22. Is that because the injury was caused by a car accident?

Medical facilities are getting more obnoxious about getting paid up front when they believe they might be caught between dueling insurance companies, with neither willing to pay the bill.

[Bettie]

35. Could be

but we have good health insurance, I figured they would take care of it.

First time I've ever been in an accident that caused injury. Had one where a deer leaped off the hill next to the road and landed directly in front of my vehicle, but none of us were injured.

[barbtries]

13. i believe they are trying to kill us.

to cull the herd, so to speak.

hard to reach any other conclusion based on their actions.

[justaprogressive]

14. Government program to give Paxlovid

to Medicare and Medicaid patients expired 12/31/2025

DISCOUNTED PRICE NOW = $1600

Had to run a gofundme.

If you just have Medicare A&B THAT'S THE PRICE TO STAY ALIVE!!!!!!

[Ms. Toad]

30. On the $0 premium plan available in my area,

It's $352 (after the annual deductible across all drugs is paid).

Still bad, but better than $1600.

(And that plan caps all drug expenses for the year at $2,100 - quite a bargain for a $0/month premium. We've always had the option of at least one plan at no more than $8/month. I believe there was only one year in which there was not a $0/month premium. So don't go without a Part D prescription plan!)

[popsdenver]

58. But, But, But

Trump said he was going to cut prescriptions by 1600 percent.
Someone I know, WITH additional top line prescription insurance, just paid 2100 for her ONE MONTH supply of Cancer Rx......(The LIST price was 21,000 dollars for a one month Rx).......She was on another cancer drug previously for five years, and her cost, after insurance was 100 dollars a pill, and she had to take one a day........

My Medicare Rx prescription insurance just went from 75/month in 2025 to 125/month January first. AND a sizable increase in the deductible.......

[Hotler]

18. As someone here said awhile back, "there should be a noose on every lamp post up and down Pennsylvania avenue."

In the beginning the French citizens used the lamp post. À la lanterne

À la lanterne!" (French pronunciation: [a la lɑ̃tɛʁn], lit. 'To the lamp post!') is a French slogan that gained special meaning and status in Paris and France during the early phase of the French Revolution from the summer of 1789.[3] Lamp posts served as an instrument to mobs to perform extemporised lynchings and executions in the streets of Paris during the revolution when the people of Paris occasionally hanged officials and aristocrats from the lamp posts. Some English equivalents would be "String them up!" or "Hang 'em high!"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%80_la_lanterne

[BComplex]

25. The French have the right idea. Steve Miller should be the first one on the lamp post.

It's like hanging Christmas decorations, except better for the country.

[DallasNE]

26. I HAD The Same Thing

But mine went from $0 to $170. I’m seeing this with meds to with co-pays of $220. Talk about inflation only 2.7%.

[unblock]

28. She got off easy. I'm still making payments on a $7300 procedure last year that was only $250 in 2024.

[moonscape]

50. Whoa! :(

[OGBuzz]

29. They already have a plan.

Elmo Husk and the rest are banking on AI and robotics.

[quakerboy]

31. AI and slaves.

[JT45242]

32. Agree with earlier folks -- likely deductible season

I get hit hard for the first $500 of deductible for everything that is not a routine office visit or medication.

Hear this every January/February

[Mme. Defarge]

33. Does this mean

I need a new knitting project?

[Aristus]

40. An entire administration's-worth, if you please, Madame.

[Mme. Defarge]

49. Shrouds Inc.?

[Aristus]

55. You'll be going public any time now.

I will invest in a huge share of your IPO.

[Skittles]

34. tell her to get a Kardia

might tell her if she needs to spend more money

[Mosby]

52. My recent colonoscopy cost me a grand.

Isn't that procedure preventative?

It was in network, listed doctor.

[progressoid]

53. Sort of.

My PCP recommended I get another one but my ins would only cover one every 5 years (it had only been 3 years since the first one). Mine was going to be over 800 out of pocket. Needless to say, I didn't get it. Now I wait and hope there isn't a problem brewing inside me.

[Mosby]

57. I had to do a second procedure

This one in a hospital, I think its going to cost out of pocket somewhere between 600 and 800. Bills aren't finalized yet, but the hospital (Banner - University Medical Center Phoenix) made me prepay them $500. Funny how they think they know what my cost is going to be, just to them.

If your first one was clear you can wait a while I think. I'm supposed to have one in a year. It can take a decade for a polyp to develop into something more than an adenoma.

[Skittles]

60. yup

the first one is considered "diagnostic", the second one is a cash cow

[Kali]

68. are there any other hospitals up there anymore?

I fucking HATE banner.

don't get me wrong, some good docs and other on-the-ground people work there but the whole corporate banner bullshit...I will never voluntarily go to them.

[Mosby]

90. There is the Honor Health system.

I had an emergency appendectomy during Covid a few years back, went to Honor Health John C. Lincoln. Great place, really friendly staff and good food. I like that its smaller. There are 5 Honor Health hospitals in Maricopa County I think. There is also Mayo and some independent hospitals like Cancer TX centers.

I had one other hospital option for my ESD procedure but it was in north Scottsdale, so I went to Good Sam (banner university phx), which is what me and my wife will always call it, lol. It's changed names but its a good teaching hospital.

One i would avoid is Abrazo (used to be phx baptist) on 19th and Bethany.

[Kali]

91. d'oh of course Mayo

my sister's man friend works there

banner took over University Medical Center in Tucson - the wonderful medical school hospital in "collaboration" with the U of A. while UMC had some issues I didn't care for, the system now is so horrible. I got caught up in it last spring when I had an infection in my replaced knee after my original surgeon retired and nobody knew or wanted anything to do with me. it was quite a nightmare of lost records, inability of banner to communicate with other hospitals or doctors not in their system, and honestly, not communicating with me either.

while I was in there I had a roommate who had come in during an emergency. they lost her wheelchair for one thing, but the kicker was learning that UMC/banner no longer does transplants - something that had kind of been pioneered (at least some procedures) there. she was waiting for a liver and normally had to travel to Phx for care and eventually for the transplant if it happens. that sort of corporate decision making really harmed the local community, in my opinion.

[progressoid]

73. Yeah, my PCP thought I should have another prior to the 5 year schedule due to

previous issues and current complications. Apparently the insurance company knows better than my doctor.

[Ms. Toad]

66. There's a little catch -

If they discover something (like a polyp) during the preventative colonoscopy, it converts the procedure from preventative to treatment.

It's a favorite trick of insurance companies. If you have an annual wellness visit covered for free - but you ask a question about a specific concern you have, the visit can be converted to a regular office visit (or you can be charged for two visits - the free wellness visit, and the regular office visit (with whatever copay that includes)).

[OldBaldy1701E]

54. Hell, I have not been able to address anything for several months now.

Between the chest pains, the foot injury that is now in it's 8th month of 'healing', I cannot afford to say the word 'doctor'.

They figure that they will just move to another country, rig their society, and repeat the process.

Let's hope the other nations won't make our mistakes.

[markodochartaigh]

88. US companies are going after the NHS in the

UK.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/08/us-firms-look-to-capitalise-as-nhs-becomes-increasingly-privatised

[Evolve Dammit]

59. It's predatory, exclusive and corporate driven for profit. Profit. Remember when BC/BS was non-profit?? I do.

[slightlv]

63. This is exactly what is happening to us, too...

Hubby needs an MRI on his brain, and also a CTScan of his heart. Each procedure will run approximately $500.

I had an MRI of my back done just after the ACA was put in place. I had NO copay. Now, even an x-ray of a broken bone, for example, runs us $85.

Hubby has to have these tests, but we already owe about $2k in medical copays, etc., for his trips to the ER over the holidays. I'm not sure how I'm going to swing this financially... everyone wants everything paid in full, even when I say I'll give them "X" over the next few months. (sigh) Medical is going to eat us alive this year, I'm afraid.

[dsc]

64. I had to get angioplasty recently and was given an estimate that I had to pay

it was over 3k. I wound up borrowing the money since I couldn't afford it from savings. This was in Nov. Finally my insurance has settled and turns out my out of pocket should have been closer to 2k. Usually I get the difference back when the copay is wrong so I am hoping I will get a check this time too.

Other thing is that the part that took so long for insurance to clear (they asked for more records) was 43k cash price, about 7k total for those with my insurance. That is crazy numbers.

I will say the hospital was amazing (my previous procedures were done locally, this was at the nearest large city) but it is ridiculous that the prices are permitted to be that different.

[Jersey Devil]

72. $250 for CT scan of lungs, pelvis

Last year it was $150. Had kidney cancer a few years ago, luckily localized, but need scans every year (every 6 months the first 2 years) to monitor.

[AllyCat]

85. Aerosmith

music.apple.com/us/album/eat-the-rich

[DFW]

89. What a disjointed whacked out system

If it could even be called that.

I have Medicare A, my U.S. employer-provided BC-BS and employer-provided Humana for dental. In practical terms, as far as I can determine from past experience, this means I have no coverage at all. I have no idea what Medicare A would provide in case of drastic illness or injury, especially to someone living in Germany. Germany offers no coverage at all to residents like me. When I moved there, the government suggested I try a “Privatversicherung,” or “private health insurance,” which quoted me €30,000 ($35,000) a year—in 2011!—and they covered no dental. I said, “Danke, aber nein, danke.”

I have no idea how much the Germans would quote me today for health insurance, but I think it’s a fair bet they would not quote me less than they did fifteen years ago.