Cut finger, a few stitches, 45 mins...$14,000 medical bill

[True Earthling]

Looks like a single-payer system may be the answer. Profit is OK in a capitalist system...if there is competition to keep prices and profiteering in check. Where is the competition when it comes to health care? This needs to change.

Edit - this is not me - it's someone I follow on Twitter

[Foggyhill]

1. Did they really repair a tendon, almost severed my finger with a shearing cutter 20 years ago

and didn't even get stiches, just a band-aid, water, alcohol. Still have a scar showing from that 30 years later.
It was a pretty gastly wide cut with a dirty tool, surprised I didn't get infected and it healed pretty well.

Also had a very big bike crash and my lip was fully cut and split open deep, required stitching by a plastic surgeon,
took about 30 minutes and cost about $800 out of pocket (around $3000 was the official bill) 15 years ago. That was in San Francisco at the hospital on Nob hill, can't remember the name.

[PoliticAverse]

2. That seems to be a bit more than a "cut finger", there seems to have been a skin graft involved. n/t

[True Earthling]

4. The doctor spent 45 minutes...

The graft was $5935 + $3523 for "Skin Tissue Rearrangement" + $4560 for "Repair Tendon"...disregarding the graft which may or may not be reasonable...$8083 seems excessive to me for 45 mins of labor by the doc.

[Warpy]

11. Yes, this seems ridiculous

For a simple sliced finger and not a near detachment it should have been far less than that. A severed tendon might have driven the bill up a bit but not this far.

My best guess says there is some upcoding going on here.

Also, why would a cut finger require a skin graft?

[Foggyhill]

14. especially with a kitchen tool... I cut my finger deep with a sheerer, which is a LOT WORSE

And didn't get anything, didn't even go to the hospital and it looked horrible.
I was quite far from a hospital when it occured, 1h minimum, so that explains it a bit.

[frazzled]

3. The bill doesn't show

if anything is due from the patient. The insurance has covered all the maximums. Often, nothing further is owed. The hospital accepts the insurance payment.

This photo is conveniently cut off.

[yeoman6987]

9. My thoughts exactly

Hospitals purposefully upcharge so they at least get what the procedure costs. Everyone knows this.

[LanternWaste]

10. You guys rationalize it so creatively.

You guys rationalize it so creatively.

[True Earthling]

12. It looks like Tendon Repair would have cost no more than $729 under Medicare...not $4560

https://www.cms.gov/apps/physician-fee-schedule/search/search-results.aspx?Y=0&T=0&HT=0&CT=3&H1=26418&M=5

[MADem]

5. IF (and this is an IF, because I wasn't there) the doctor did not graft skin or repair a tendon, and

in fact, only went stitch/stitch/stitch, then that doctor committed FRAUD and there are remedies for this. That doctor could be looking at jail time.

If, however, the doctor DID do a skin graft and a tendon repair, that's a different story. Still overpriced, perhaps--but hard to know without seeing the damage.

You can report medical billing fraud to the US government but you might want to first contact the facility and tell them they made a mistake; maybe they'll correct it. After they do, THEN notify the ACA that these clowns might be engaged in a rip-off scheme.

https://billadvocates.com/report-medical-billing-fraud/

[lapfog_1]

6. Looks like you sliced your tendon

and maybe needed a skin graft (or at least pulled some sliced off skin back into place).

Not a simple cut.

Next time, get some of these



$12 a pair online.

Anyway, the prices are outrageous, but this wasn't just a couple of stitches and you are out of there.

Sorry about your finger.

[True Earthling]

7. This is not me - it's someone I follow on Twitter (EOM)

[jpak]

8. My bill for he same injury - and surgery - was also $14k

I had insurance and it paid all but a couple of hundred bucks - pre-ACA.

But - yeah single payer...

[forthemiddle]

15. This is a lot more than a few stitches

If the tendon was lacerated, and they had to do a skin graft, that's a hell of a lot more invasive than a few stitches!

[FigTree]

17. Fly to Mexico, Canada or Europe and come out ahead.

For heavier surgeries, one could look at further (e.g. India) and still get something affordable. Quality in the US is not so high that it would be a factor (to say the least).