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If it makes you feel better OP, I think his care was completely reasonable. Most intoxicated patients who fall get a CT head and C-spine to rule out injuries. When you are drunk, you don't necessarily feel pain. I've had drunk patient suffer a shoulder dislocation and not realize it until they were sober. I've also had intoxicated patients insist that they are fine and want to leave and then the CT scan shows a head bleed. This is why doctors order the scans, although I won't lie... there is some component of also protecting ourselves as lawyers will have a field day if we miss anything at all.
If you and your brother really didn't want the scans, then you should have just signed the Against Medical Advice forms (although you would have had to wait until your brother was sober to sign those forms).
Most docs give young people the Tdap shot instead of just the Td shot. Pertussis immunity wanes after a while so giving a pertussis booster is smart... especially for people who are unlikely to make an appointment to get the booster on their own.
Your bill is high because you are paying for the privilege of seeing a physician quickly, a nurse to take care of you, CT techs to do your studies, a radiologist to read your study quickly, etc. ERs have to be fully staffed 24/7 whether there are patients to be seen or not. That costs a lot of money. You are also paying for all the illegal aliens and uninsured people who aren't paying anything for their care.
Good luck with getting the hospital to reduce the bill. They do it sometimes for self pay patients, especially ones who are willing to pay something. Maybe the hospital has a social worker who can help your brother get some type of insurance as well.
How much do you and your fellow citizens pay in taxes?
If you are asking me about Canadian costs=On a $50K income i was paying a total of around 30% from payroll deductions, i have no idea how much of that was going to support Canadas healthcare system as the deductions werent itemized to include what was assigned to health care.
If you are asking me about Canadian costs=On a $50K income i was paying a total of around 30% from payroll deductions, i have no idea how much of that was going to support Canadas healthcare system as the deductions werent itemized to include what was assigned to health care.
But it's not true to say you pay nothing out of pocket for health care, is it? You just pay a tax rather than a premium.
If you are asking me about Canadian costs=On a $50K income i was paying a total of around 30% from payroll deductions, i have no idea how much of that was going to support Canadas healthcare system as the deductions werent itemized to include what was assigned to health care.
I may be wrong but I think in the USA 50K would put you in the 15% tax bracket. I think many who make 50k would balk at paying double their taxes.
I may be wrong but I think in the USA 50K would put you in the 15% tax bracket. I think many who make 50k would balk at paying double their taxes.
Yeah but your 15% doesnt include monies that you will have to pay for your healthcare which from my reading can cost anywhere from $200 -$2000 a month usually with high deductibles,caps and the possibility of having no healthcare at all if you are between jobs or are deemed uninsurable.
Those monies to pay for the ops cost would have come out of everyones pockets ,like a huge pool you put into and take out of when needed,While his taxes were going to support the health care system he would never have been asked to pay cash for such a bill at the hospital no matter how expensive the treatment.
If you are asking me about Canadian costs=On a $50K income i was paying a total of around 30% from payroll deductions, i have no idea how much of that was going to support Canadas healthcare system as the deductions werent itemized to include what was assigned to health care.
Quote:
Originally Posted by toofache32
I may be wrong but I think in the USA 50K would put you in the 15% tax bracket. I think many who make 50k would balk at paying double their taxes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jambo101
Yeah but your 15% doesn't include monies that you will have to pay for your healthcare which from my reading can cost anywhere from $200 -$2000 a month usually with high deductibles,caps and the possibility of having no healthcare at all if you are between jobs or are deemed uninsurable.
Well, let's do the numbers.
Canada:
30% x $50,000 = $15,000 overall Canadian tax burden.
vs.
US:
$50,000 - Gross Income
-x6,300 - Less: Standard deduction --4,000 - Less: Personal Exemption
$39,700 - Taxable Income = $5,675 federal income taxes
plus another $3,825 Social Security.
plus health insurance premiums - subsidized - av. silver - $2,807
Add to that health insurance premiums, deductibles. copays
US looks like - assuming taxpayer isn't contributing to IRA/HSA:
$.5,675 - Federal Income taxes
..3,825 - Social Security/Medicare
..????? - State, local, sales taxes
..2,807 - Silver Plan
..3,500 - Deductible - low estimate ..????? - Copays/out-of-pockets
$15,807 - Minimum tax/health insurance and cost to US taxpayer
or 32% of gross income vs. 30% Canadian. Keep in mind the state/local taxes, deductible/cospays are all unknowns.
Looks like there's a lot less stress (health savings accounts, copays, or deductibles) doing it the Canadian way and probably even less expensive than shown above, factoring in the unknowns.
The only way to come out ahead in US is use every tax-saving vehicle available.
Make an appointment to talk to the financial patient accounts people at the hospital and take in proof of annual income. This may take pay stubs and tax records and also document living expenses. Explain to them you don't have the money and ask if they will assist you with applying for Medicaid. Some states will retroactively apply Medicaid benefits back to the date of service for an unpaid bill. Submit the application and the hospital may hold the receivable pending the determination of benefits. It may take a few months. If it is not approved retro, the hospital still may be willing to perform a charity write off of some sort based on your proof of income. They likely have a policy for this. Basically, you would be documenting that you are otherwise medically indigent. If Medicaid pays retro, it is resolved. If they do not pay retro, you have documented you don't have the resources. There is no reason for the hospital to pursue the bill if they understand your income level. The cost of trying to collect would not be money well spent. If Medicaid pays, the hospital will have a credit balance owed to the patient of the $600. At a minimum, you may have to pay a monthly amount towards a reduced balance due.
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