the cost of 4 stitches (insurance, home, costs)

[Kracer]

Anyone have a clue as to what four stitches cost at a central NJ emergenct room?

Which begs the question why.

Take a guess. I'll tell you after a few responses.

[Shet]

I have been only once to NJ ER for high fever (since it was sunday). I was given penicillin plus prescription. It cost me total $400 ($200 for room and $200 for doc services). Considering this, stiches might be $1000 or above.

[SweepTheLeg]

Well, instead of going to an ER, why didn't you go to an urgent care facility, where it's probably cheaper and less of a wait?

Seriously, a friend of mine is an ER nurse and one of the biggest banes they have are people who show up in the ER instead of going to an Urgent Care facility to get taken care of, then complain when the level of surface isn't up to expectation.

EDIT: This isn't about your specific situation, it's just people in general overuse the ER when an urgent care store is a much better option. Helped us out on more than one occassion.

[sholden]

A lot is my guess.

I went to an urgent care doctor place last month for stitches. Which looking at the unreadable garbage the insurance company sends me the doctor charged $965 for, the insurance company paid him $540, and I paid $30 copay.

I'm not sure if you can get the doctor to charge you the "not padded for insurance companies" rate if you don't have insurance.

It's insane, considering it took at most 20 minutes, and I suspect less - I wasn't exactly keeping track my attention was focused on not bleeding to death , that's a good hourly rate... Yes, yes, their insurance costs are so mind boggling...

[Shet]

Originally Posted by SweepTheLeg

Well, instead of going to an ER, why didn't you go to an urgent care facility, where it's probably cheaper and less of a wait?

Seriously, a friend of mine is an ER nurse and one of the biggest banes they have are people who show up in the ER instead of going to an Urgent Care facility to get taken care of, then complain when the level of surface isn't up to expectation.

EDIT: This isn't about your specific situation, it's just people in general overuse the ER when an urgent care store is a much better option. Helped us out on more than one occassion.

I know you were not referring to my specific case but I still want to tell more about this. I paid $400 from my own pocket for the NJ ER visit since I had a high deductibe insurance plan. I am new to this country and was not aware of urgent care clinics.

In my home country there are only two things...clinics/dispensaries and then hospital. If it is a sunday we head straight for the hospital (where we get charged only for medicines for fever..cost would be around one US dollar..yes one dollar) After my NJ ER visit, I got to know that there is something called urgent care center when I was googling for something else.

[Obrero]

I'm going to guess $800.

My son once fell off the top of a playground and had to go to hospital in an ambulance. 20 minute ride was $3,500 not including the cost for the paramedics or anything inside the hospital...just the use of the ambulance. They actually wanted to land a helicoptor...gawd knows what that would have cost.

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by UKOK

I'm going to guess $800.

My son once fell off the top of a playground and had to go to hospital in an ambulance. 20 minute ride was $3,500 not including the cost for the paramedics or anything inside the hospital...just the use of the ambulance. They actually wanted to land a helicoptor...gawd knows what that would have cost.

UKOK,

I know of someone who had to go on a helicopter. The cost: $1000 a minute.

[luckyshoes]

Urgent cares do stitches? I've never heard of that.

[Obrero]

Originally Posted by mike0421

UKOK,

I know of someone who had to go on a helicopter. The cost: $1000 a minute.

Holy cow.

Thanks for the info.

[BobKovacs]

I'm going to guess $1,400, including the triage, exam, stitches, supplies, etc.