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Person Starts A Discussion Online After Having To Pay $8k For Going To The Hospital For A Hurting Arm Despite Being Insured
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Person Starts A Discussion Online After Having To Pay $8k For Going To The Hospital For A Hurting Arm Despite Being Insured

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Being able to go to a doctor and receive medical care should be a basic human right, and it is in most countries. Sadly, in the United States, medical care could be compared to a luxury like a brand new car rather than a right, because so many people just simply can’t afford it. And even if you do have insurance, it’s not guaranteed that your situation is better.

An Imgur user thought they were so lucky to finally get healthcare insurance because of their husband’s new job, but they soon had to find out that it didn’t really cover much. A trip to the ER for a hurt arm during a fall will still cost $8k, and the arm wasn’t even broken.

More info: imgur

Imgur user meyo hurt their arm and went to the ER to get it checked, then got an $8k medical bill despite being insured

Image credits: meyo

They were overjoyed to have health insurance, but turns out, it didn’t help that much

Meyo was so happy to finally have health insurance because it’s such a big deal in the United States. Medical debt contributes to a large part of bankruptcies in the country and having insurance should provide protection against the costs of medical services.

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An online survey conducted in 2019 by Economic Times revealed that 48 percent of insured people are dissatisfied with the features and benefits of their policies. So maybe having insurance is better than not having it, but the statistics prove that insurance policies need improvement.

For being X-rayed, a painkiller pill, and a bandage, the bill was $10k, and with insurance and the ER lowering the amount, it was still $8k

However, the joy soon faded away when after a trip to a hospital, meyo got the medical bill. It was for $8,000 and that came as a shock. Turns out, the insurance covered only $800 of the $10,000 bill and then the ER lowered the amount a little bit more.

The reason for going to the ER wasn’t even serious enough to justify the amount that was charged in the first place. The Imgur user fell and hurt their arm. It was hurting so bad that they thought it had broken, so at the hospital, they had two X-rays done, which confirmed that no bones were broken, given a painkiller, and a bandage.

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Meyo even started blaming themselves for going to the ER and trusting that their health insurance would help

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Meyo tried calling the insurance company but they couldn’t get in touch. What’s worse, they are blaming themselves for going to the hospital because now their family has to deal with the huge bill. This is really sad because no one should feel guilty for wanting to take care of their health.

The health insurance should have left them relieved; it should have meant that they didn’t have to worry about it anymore, because if an accident happened, they wouldn’t need to think about what would happen if they can’t afford it.

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Some comments had useful advice, so meyo will try to find out if the situation can be fixed

Image credits: meyo

However, there is still hope. People who have read this story were advising meyo to ask for an itemized bill from the hospital and check its financial aid policies. After the encouragement in the comments, the writer and their husband were assured that this situation is not right and they have to get to the bottom of this.

All in all, readers were astounded and felt sorry for what meyo is going through. And non-Americans find it really hard to believe that people can be tortured like this for basic needs.

People in the comments were just as frustrated and sorry for what happened to meyo

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Jurgita Dominauskaitė

Jurgita Dominauskaitė

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Having started as a content creator that made articles for Bored Panda from scratch I climbed my way up to being and editor and then had team lead responsibilities added as well. So it was a pretty natural transition from writing articles and titles as well as preparing the visual part for the articles to making sure others are doing those same tasks as I did before well, answering their questions and guiding them when needed. Eventually I realized editing gives me the most enjoyment and I'm focusing only on that right now.

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Jurgita Dominauskaitė

Jurgita Dominauskaitė

Author, BoredPanda staff

Having started as a content creator that made articles for Bored Panda from scratch I climbed my way up to being and editor and then had team lead responsibilities added as well. So it was a pretty natural transition from writing articles and titles as well as preparing the visual part for the articles to making sure others are doing those same tasks as I did before well, answering their questions and guiding them when needed. Eventually I realized editing gives me the most enjoyment and I'm focusing only on that right now.

Lukas Garnelis

Lukas Garnelis

Author, Community member

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Lukas is a photo editor at Bored Panda. 4th year in Vilnius Gediminas Technical University as a graphic designer. Can do whatever he sets his mind to.

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Lukas Garnelis

Lukas Garnelis

Author, Community member

Lukas is a photo editor at Bored Panda. 4th year in Vilnius Gediminas Technical University as a graphic designer. Can do whatever he sets his mind to.

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Nicholas Yu
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Idiots will tell you that free healthcare is of poor quality to dissuade you from ever wanting universal health care. I have friends who have flown to other countries, took a vacation, stayed in hotels, for the sole purpose of getting medical work done overseas and it was STILL cheaper than getting it done in their own home states. Same quality.

Artime Silk
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep and any time you tell them about it they say 'Canada and the Scandinavian countries are failing because of this you know?'. Idiot is the correct term yes

Load More Replies...
BusyLizzy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This would be one of my worst nightmares. In the last 5 years I've had a baby, a mammogram and biopsy, appendicitis with surgery and a 4 night hospital stay. The only thing it's cost me is £9 for each prescription. If I had to live in fear of not being able to pay for medical care for my child I don't know how I'd cope. Why is this acceptable? What am I missing?

Leo Domitrix
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is not acceptable to the people. But the politicians in the pay of Big Insurance Companies LOVE this. For some reason, people here in the US keep re-electing the (profanities). And since we seem to be unable to get out of it ("Obamacare" was gelded by Congress, the insurer lobbyists, and the state governors in the grand pissing match that leaves us people all pissed on and pissed *off*)..... Yeah, I'm all for a revolution myself.

Load More Replies...
Christine M Quigley
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't EVER pay the first bill. Call billing and ask for an itemized bill. Then you can argue the ridiculous charges. I worked in health care for almost 50 years, thank God I have great insurance being retired- but yeah...ask for that itemized bill...

Jennie-Lind Normand
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm not American but I have heard of peoples bills being reduced to zero after asking for an itemized bill!

Load More Replies...
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Nicholas Yu
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Idiots will tell you that free healthcare is of poor quality to dissuade you from ever wanting universal health care. I have friends who have flown to other countries, took a vacation, stayed in hotels, for the sole purpose of getting medical work done overseas and it was STILL cheaper than getting it done in their own home states. Same quality.

Artime Silk
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep and any time you tell them about it they say 'Canada and the Scandinavian countries are failing because of this you know?'. Idiot is the correct term yes

Load More Replies...
BusyLizzy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This would be one of my worst nightmares. In the last 5 years I've had a baby, a mammogram and biopsy, appendicitis with surgery and a 4 night hospital stay. The only thing it's cost me is £9 for each prescription. If I had to live in fear of not being able to pay for medical care for my child I don't know how I'd cope. Why is this acceptable? What am I missing?

Leo Domitrix
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is not acceptable to the people. But the politicians in the pay of Big Insurance Companies LOVE this. For some reason, people here in the US keep re-electing the (profanities). And since we seem to be unable to get out of it ("Obamacare" was gelded by Congress, the insurer lobbyists, and the state governors in the grand pissing match that leaves us people all pissed on and pissed *off*)..... Yeah, I'm all for a revolution myself.

Load More Replies...
Christine M Quigley
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't EVER pay the first bill. Call billing and ask for an itemized bill. Then you can argue the ridiculous charges. I worked in health care for almost 50 years, thank God I have great insurance being retired- but yeah...ask for that itemized bill...

Jennie-Lind Normand
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm not American but I have heard of peoples bills being reduced to zero after asking for an itemized bill!

Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
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