Just got bill for fusion surgery

[Jack-of-all-trades]

I had called and requested an itemized bill a few weeks ago. The total was $66,000.00 give or take a few hundred. Some of the charges were so obviously bogus I could not see how the hospital could in any moral sense charge what they did. For instance I was charged $148.00 a day for O2 everyday and never had any except while in surgery. The surgeons fee, not including office visits was over $16,000.00. The 4 titanium bolts, plates, etc was over $8,000.00. This is at a non-profit hospital that doesn't pay property tax or income tax. If they stuck to just medicine I wouldn't be so mad about it but their management side gets paid very well with some positions they could easily do without. They also own various properties around town, hotels and the like. Other entrepreneurs have a hard time competing when the other competitors pay no taxes.

[Keano16]

This is crazy...prices in USA are insane.

In Croatia that would cost about 15.000-20.000 USD

[Dave]

Our insurance wiil give us 50% of any amount that is on the bill that we find did not happen. O2 for for example, we would get a personal refund of $74 for each day we proved we did not recieve it. Line item details are important to see where we are being ripped off. Your surgeon bill seems in line. I had two level cervical ADR and the doctor charged $24,000 but accepted $17,000 from the insurance company.

If a person is paying out of pocket, line item breakdowns are a must.