Surgery sticker shock

[swakyaby]

Interesting that there is a charge for Sugammadex. It's a reversal agent for neuromuscular blocking agents, but I don't see a muscle paralytic listed. Is it a billing error?

 

[Conundrum]

Just had back surgery. $4k for surgeon. One night in the hospital (including OR) $23k. I thought it was a bit high until I saw some of these posts.

 

[MRG]

I would favor regulations that would limit a provider's "rack-rate" to no more an 3x the lowest insurer negotiated cost for that service/code as a first step towards something more sensible.

Well, I'll be the first to say you are wrong. Except that's a very good idea. There needs to be some attempt to control the insanity.

Some of these bills are stupid. It's been at least 7 years ago when a coworker's kid needed treatment for dehydration. They went to an urgent care place but they couldn't do an IV. So off to the ER. My co-worker was upset about the change of the IV, it was a grand for the bag of saline. More charges for administering the IV. Really? A $1000 for a bag of saline? Must have been a very good vintage.

Something's really messed up with a system that expects you to spend $1000 for a bag of saline or $20 on a lethal dose of heroin.