Why YSK: Most hospitals send a summary bill (for example pharmacy: $5,000) hoping you’ll panic and just pay it. These are usually full of errors or huge markups. Before you pay anything, call the billing department and ask for an itemized bill with CPT codes. This will not only force a human to review it, but it also gives you the ability to spot BS. I tried this last year and the bill dropped by about 30% literally just because I asked, so don’t let them rip you off.
We do have that, too. (Private insurance and healthcare, I mean)
But most services even as a public patient do cost something here. Small stuff is usually a pittance, and if you say you can’t pay, they’ll either waive it or put you on an extremely generous payment plan. I know stuff like asking for painkillers in a waiting room is free though. Just the work of keeping track of that type of thing to charge for it, isn’t worth it.
But the more expensive stuff can add up. That’s why the maximum exists, but apparently even the extremely complex repair of my wrist, barely dents it.
You get painkillers while you wait? My experience is that’s not the norm in the U.S. There have been 3 or 4 times recently where something seemed really wrong and I debated going to the ER. I didn’t because I’d rather writhe in agony at home than have to do that in a waiting room for hours. Plus I never know if someone will actually take me seriously, and there would be a huge bill.
That decision was nuts by any normal standard, but I’m far from the only one who’s done something like that. Honestly, the fear of not getting any real help, yet again, is one of the worst parts.