FAMILY OF 9-YEAR-OLD BIT BY SNAKE ASTOUNDED, SNAKEBIT BY INSANE MEDICAL BILLS
So this why we can’t have nice things. In July of 2018, a venomous snake bit Oakley Yoder on her toe. The 9-year-old was staying at summer camp in Jackson Falls, Illinois. So snakes, even venomous ones, do bit people all over the world (except in winter, duh). That’s not so unusual, even though I’m sure it must be traumatic and scary. But guess what’s even worse than having a venomous snake bite you on the toe? Later getting snakebit with absolutely insane bills. So what is an insane medical bill for a snake bite? $142,938.
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THE AMBULANCE CHARGE ALONE WAS OVER $50,0000, BUT DIDN’T GO INTO ORBIT
But no, I’m not making up that number. Seriously, this is why we can’t have nice things. SO obviously, there is a breakdown of who charged what and how much. $55, 577.64 was the charge for the ambulance. That’s pretty much batshit right there. It’s not like it drove her across the Pacific to Maui. But the even larger charge of $67, 957 really takes the cake even more. That’s how much the 4 vials of antivenom from the UK’s pharma giant BTG Plc. But here’s where it gets even weirder. The antivenom, or Crofab, costs $3,198 in the United States. A Mexican option you can’t import only costs $200!!!
ANTIVENOM COSTS $200 IN MEXICO, $3,198 IN U.S., BUT HOSPITAL CHARGED $14,000 MORE! EACH!!
So what the fuck is going on, here? The hospital that treated Oakley charged $16, 989.25 for each vial. So it costs just over 3 grand. But the hospital hiked the price almost $14,000 for each. And, let’s be real here. That costs 85 times more than the cost in Mexico. Mexico! So here’s one piece of good news. The Yoder family didn’t have to pay a dime. That’s great. Otherwise, we’re talking bankruptcy. But even though their health insurer negotiated the overall tab down to $107,863.33, there’s a major problem here. So why is that? Because those prices are why all of our health premiums are so goddamned high!
It’s like socialism to feed capital profiteers. Everyone pays. But only they win.
