Huge ER Bill from Texas Children's Hospital (Houston, Austin: home, employment)

[JasonAndJulie]

In many countries I don't mind paying first. A specialist in Mexico is $20-$25 a visit. A whole slew of labs and xrays is under $200. My son got 5 xrays at Texas Children's and it was over $1000. The scale is different. We were charged $18 for one dose of liquid Tylenol and $90 for a pulse ox to be put on his finger.

[oceangaia]

Originally Posted by Htown2013

THIS makes is very hard to raise a family these days. Those prices are ridiculous. I believe it's a combination of overly burdensome and onerous government regulations, greedy malpractice lawyers and frivolous lawsuits skyrocketing malpractice insurance rates, and possibly some hospitals being run more like businesses vs. purely nonprofit organizations meant to help people in medical need.

Like I said - squeezed from all angles.

Those onerous politicians and greedy lawyers and doctors are US, collectively, as a society. Everyone and their brother will beotch all day long about frivolous lawsuits but the instant they themselves see a shot at a lotto payday over some perceived negligence they are out there shopping lawyers too.

[coconutbutter]

Originally Posted by oceangaia

In many countries, if you cannot pay up front you suffer and/or die. It's a merit of our system that people like the OP are provided treatment first and deal with billing issues later.

Yes, be privileged to receive services that can financially ruin you or die. Nice to know that these are the only two options in your world. Nowhere did the OP say s/he was averse to paying for services.

By the way, what countries are you referring to that if you can't pay upfront and that you suffer and/or die that isn't third world?

[hounewhome1]

Originally Posted by coconutbutter

Yes, be privileged to receive services that can financially ruin you or die. Nice to know that these are the only two options in your world. Nowhere did the OP say s/he was averse to paying for services.

By the way, what countries are you referring to that if you can't pay upfront and that you suffer and/or die that isn't third world?

I asked the hospital staff many times on how much is the room rent per day etc and is it ok if we leave and come back for regular checkups twice a day (after the first 2 days since things looked ok) but that offer was declined. The service from the hospital and docs was top notch/best in class/amazing/caring and all the other good things but the issue is that I couldn't afford it and told them this on day 2 and requested alternative of coming twice a day for "office visits", which they could charge for.

The people who decide the bill were "unreachable" when I asked to speak to them in the hospital and the docs said they don't know/deal with billing. I asked if there were cheaper non-private rooms but no body bothered to answer and pleaded ignorance - sir for that you have to contact our Admin department etc.

I tried all possible ways to keep the bill down but nobody offered anything less than 7 Star service (Two options - don't come here or pay Burj-Al-Arab 7 star hotel rates)

[Zhang Fei]

Originally Posted by coconutbutter

By the way, what countries are you referring to that if you can't pay upfront and that you suffer and/or die that isn't third world?

Hong Kong's technically a Second World territory, since it's part of China, but its per capita GDP is higher than most of the EU. Singapore's a Third World country, and its per capita income is higher than all of the EU except for Luxembourg.

I will say that the AMA is not very different from the civil service unions that are strangling the nation's economy. And the pharmaceutical companies have done a real number on what could have been a rational single-payer system. The bastard child of Romneycare, Obamacare will soon turn the health care system into the practical equivalent of a flying car, neither road- nor air-worthy.

Interestingly enough, Mexico's free market health care system has emerged as an alternative for Americans fleeing the high cost of a domestic health care system overloaded with unfunded mandates at both the federal and state levels:

According to the site www.internationalliving.com, health care in Mexico is described as very good to excellent while being highly affordable, with every medium to large city in Mexico having at least one first-rate hospital. In fact, some California insurers sell health insurance policies that require members to go to Mexico for health care where costs are 40% lower.[8] Some of Mexico's top-rate hospitals are internationally accredited.[9] Residents of USA, particularly those living near the Mexican border, now routinely cross the border into Mexico for medical care.[10] Popular specialties include dentistry and plastic surgery. Mexican dentists often charge 20 to 25 percent of US prices,[11] while other procedures typically cost a third what they would cost in the US.[10] The www.internationalliving.com site states that on average, an office visit with a doctor—specialists included—will cost about US$25, an overnight stay in a private hospital room costs about $35, and a visit to a dentist for teeth cleaning costs about $20. Some 40,000 to 80,000 American seniors spend their retirement years in Mexico with a considerable number receiving nursing home and health care.[12]

And if life expectancies are any indicator, Mexico's health care system works pretty well for the locals, with only a three year gap between the US and Mexico. Wikipedia on the quality of Mexican health care:

With many physicians from the U.S. having received their training in Mexico, and with many Mexican doctors having received at least part of their training in the United States, the quality of Mexican health care has been reported to be comparable to that in the United States: "in general, health care in Mexico is very good…and in many places it is excellent."[13] Lower medical costs than the U.S. have been found to bear no relationship to the quality of medical attention and knowledge about health care provided in Mexico.[14] Mexican hospitals are equipped to first world standards, use modern equipment and hygiene and many Mexican doctors received their training in the US.[15][16] When it comes to diagnosis and treatment, Americans receiving treatment in Mexico say it is just as good as in the United States - and sometimes better.[17]

[coconutbutter]

Originally Posted by hounewhome1

I asked the hospital staff many times on how much is the room rent per day etc and is it ok if we leave and come back for regular checkups twice a day (after the first 2 days since things looked ok) but that offer was declined. The service from the hospital and docs was top notch/best in class/amazing/caring and all the other good things but the issue is that I couldn't afford it and told them this on day 2 and requested alternative of coming twice a day for "office visits", which they could charge for.

The people who decide the bill were "unreachable" when I asked to speak to them in the hospital and the docs said they don't know/deal with billing. I asked if there were cheaper non-private rooms but no body bothered to answer and pleaded ignorance - sir for that you have to contact our Admin department etc.

I tried all possible ways to keep the bill down but nobody offered anything less that 7 Star service.

hounewhome1, this response was posted to the person who said that if you couldn't pay for services, you were expected to suffer or die as in other countries. This was not posted in response to you.

From my experience with TCH, it is a first-class hospital, and I am happy that your experience with them was great. I understand that you tried to keep your costs as low as possible because you needed the urgent care for your child that you could afford. You did what any person would do in that situation, and I respect the fact that you do want to pay part of your bill (instead of ignoring it) and have already taken steps to doing so.

Originally Posted by Zhang Fei

Hong Kong's technically a Second World territory, since it's part of China, but its per capita GDP is higher than most of the EU. Singapore's a Third World country, and its per capita income is higher than all of the EU except for Luxembourg.

Apologies for the semantics. You know what I was trying to say. :P

[fnh]

Originally Posted by hounewhome1

I asked the hospital staff many times on how much is the room rent per day etc and is it ok if we leave and come back for regular checkups twice a day (after the first 2 days since things looked ok) but that offer was declined. The service from the hospital and docs was top notch/best in class/amazing/caring and all the other good things but the issue is that I couldn't afford it and told them this on day 2 and requested alternative of coming twice a day for "office visits", which they could charge for.

The people who decide the bill were "unreachable" when I asked to speak to them in the hospital and the docs said they don't know/deal with billing. I asked if there were cheaper non-private rooms but no body bothered to answer and pleaded ignorance - sir for that you have to contact our Admin department etc.

I tried all possible ways to keep the bill down but nobody offered anything less than 7 Star service (Two options - don't come here or pay Burj-Al-Arab 7 star hotel rates)

Her request to leave was declined. Ha, just try to take your child out of a hospital against medical advice. You are literally held hostage with no possible estimate of the cost. It's just terrifying and could happen to any of us.

Choice, my arse.

[crone]

Originally Posted by Htown2013

THIS makes is very hard to raise a family these days. Those prices are ridiculous. I believe it's a combination of overly burdensome and onerous government regulations, greedy malpractice lawyers and frivolous lawsuits skyrocketing malpractice insurance rates, and possibly some hospitals being run more like businesses vs. purely nonprofit organizations meant to help people in medical need.

Like I said - squeezed from all angles.

You need to get up to speed on medical lawsuits since tort reform happened in Texas.

Try to find a lawyer who will take a case that is not a slam dunk. Contingencies are rare. What person who cannot pay the drs. bill has enough money to hire a lawyer to file suit? If by some miracle they get a lawyer and lose, remember, loser pays.

One only gets actual damages. No such thing as pain and suffering. If a person is retired and the Dr. cuts off the wrong leg, since they have no income, there is no loss. You get medical treatment. That's about it.

[jasonamd]

Originally Posted by fnh

Her request to leave was declined. Ha, just try to take your child out of a hospital against medical advice. You are literally held hostage with no possible estimate of the cost. It's just terrifying and could happen to any of us.

Choice, my arse.

Because they are probably worried if you do leave and something happens, you will turn around and sue because they let you leave. Have seen some cases like that in the past.

[hounewhome1]

Originally Posted by jasonamd

Because they are probably worried if you do leave and something happens, you will turn around and sue because they let you leave. Have seen some cases like that in the past.

I asked if we could leave since everything looked fine and all that was needed was "observation", not before. I said we are ready to come twice a day to the hospital - that way we would have saved $3500 per night for the room. Nobody answered my question on the semi-private or common room and I'm not sure the hospital even has that.

As I said, the docs were next to amazing and the hospital is great but they should talk to people about money/billing/cost at some point before we leave. Getting a 70K bill is crazy and I have insurance to take care most of it. There are people who make less money than me - what will happen to their kids and families. Are there hospitals without LED TV's, in room catering service where we could take our kids if this happens again and that cost $500 per night and the Tylenol is maybe $1.00 for 5ml.