Foxrac

"My jaw was dropping down," said Dag-Are Trydal, as he described his reaction to the medical bill for treatment after he was bitten by a rattlesnake.

Trydal's bill made headlines in Norway, where his insurance provider was quoted as saying the charges from Scripps La Jolla Hospital were the highest they had ever seen.

Trydal, an exchange student studying cybernetics at UCSD, was walking to his car on April 26 when he felt a sharp pain in his foot.

"I stepped two steps back just immediately and I was seeing that a snake was sitting right between my flip flops," he told 10News reporter Allison Ash. "I was really scared, because I don't know much about the snakes here and how dangerous they are,"

When a passerby told him Scripps Hospital was right across the street, he decided to walk there.

"As I was walking over, my heart started thumping and I could feel a tingling in my body and a metallic taste in my mouth," he said.

Trydal was admitted to the hospital and given four doses of antivenom over a 24-hour period. He was thrilled that the treatment worked and he could get back to his studies, until he heard from his insurance company.

That was when Trydal learned what his visit to the hospital cost: $143,989. He was shocked.

"I thought maybe $10,000," he said, noting that if he'd had the same treatment back home in Norway "it would have been free."

Trydal agreed to let the hospital release a copy of the bill to 10News. In it there are two separate charges for antivenin croatalidfab. The first charge is for $102,440 and the second is for $25,610. That is a total of $128,050.

"This is way too much, at least for a person that doesn't have good insurance," he said.

Trydal admitted he was glad he bought an insurance policy to cover him during his six months in the United States. When asked what would happen if he had not, Trydal responded, "That would be very, very bad. I try not to think about that."

A spokesperson for Scripps told 10News the antivenom is expensive and issued this statement:

"First and most importantly, we are grateful for Mr. Trydal’s recovery. We have reviewed our billing practices in this case and find all charges to be accurate and appropriate.

The largest portion of the charges was for antivenom, a very costly life-saving drug manufactured from snake venom. The patient required 10 units of the antivenom and a night in the Intensive Care Unit, which provides around-the-clock direct nursing supervision.

Scripps has standardized charges for all of our services and, like other health care organizations, we are reimbursed differently by each insurance provider or government payer based on our contracts.

It is important to understand that these charges are not reflective of what Scripps will be paid. At this time, the patient’s insurance company has not yet paid the bill, and Scripps is in negotiations with the company for the final amount. The patient will not be billed by Scripps."

Although Trydal said he believes the healthcare system in the US is "wrong," he declined to be too critical, saying his treatment at Scripps La Jolla was "excellent."

$143K Hospital Bill Shocks Snake Bite Victim - San Diego News Story - KGTV San Diego

Not surprised, welcome to capitalism based healthcare in USA.

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Deafness

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caz12

soooooo glad i brit got n.h.s.....america land of the free, unless you ill not free

TXgolfer

Heh, how many days until Obama tries twist and use this the way FOXRAC just did.

Fact is, the exchange student bought insurance as is required for foreign students by most schools. And the insurance will be billed. SO....the system worked.

Granted some reform to the system is needed. But the ObamaCrybabyNannyCare system is not the answer. But it does say something about the Euro's.....doesn't have to pay a thing and he is still whining. Yeah, that's not political or anything.

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TXgolfer

Yeah, that's a REAL popular system you have there. The women dying of breast cancer just LOVE it.

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Foxrac

Please refrain from name calling against me and I'm not accept about what are you saying.

This thread is about shocking, unusual healthcare cost for just snake bites, not about political, even article doesn't discuss about health care reform by our government.

Not all insurance will pay in full, sometime, they only cover 60% to 80% so rest will bill to patient, that it.

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Foxrac

Any political discussion or uncivil discussion will result in lock the thread.

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TXgolfer

Calling a person by their name is not "name calling".

And you made it political with your comment in post number 1. The quote is very much political as well.

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Foxrac

You did - moderator notified.

No, the article isn't about political, neither is my post, say capitalism isn't always to be political unless you say about government.

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TXgolfer

I disagree. Making a comment about capitalism as you did makes it political

And....

Is also political. If its not political what is the point? I mean his expenses will be covered by his insurance...

And no, the only name I called you was "Foxrac" .....that is your screen name. You refer to me by my screen name all the time.

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Foxrac

Did I mention about government? No, that's not very political, however there are some political in healthcare. I don't want our thread turns into excessive political discussion that leading to countless debate and quibbling so that why I just want to be low on political. Your post did mention about government (Obama), that's very political.

Like I said, not all insurance pay 100%, most cover 60% to 80%, depending on insurances. The expensive healthcare will make insurance so more cost.

I don't mention your name anymore after other moderator found my post to be name calling - it was in black pastors and NAACP thread. You made fun of me too. I'm going let moderator to review and deal with this problem. You should quote my post instead of call my name so that what I did to your post.

Please could you move on about name calling and be low profile on political. If you disagree so let agree to disagree.

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TXgolfer

I think you misunderstood someone.... if we are not allowed to say a members name that is news to me....

So, if not political, thats fine. What do you have to say about this topic then?

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TXgolfer

Since this is not "political"I will start over. The guy is alive and the hospital isn't going to bill him. That's awesome. Good thing he was close to a hospital and they got to him right away. That could have been so much worse.

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Foxrac

I wasn't misunderstood but it was from moderator in other thread that I learned.

I don't stop you from being too political but just be low profile, you can go to other thread to debate about government involvement with healthcare.

For me, I'm surprised about snake bite treatment is more expensive than CI surgery.

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Foxrac

Do you realized about insurance don't always cover in full?

After insurance pay some of medical bill so the hospital will bill to patient with remaining balance.

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TXgolfer

I am going by the article you provided which says he will not be billed.

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TXgolfer

So a mod told you we can't use screen names any more? Interesting.

Not really surprising that a life saving treatment would be expensive. IMO

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Foxrac

It means hospital will write off if insurance doesn't cover in 100%.

For my insurance, they will cover 80% of snake bite treatment or 60% for out of network.

It will left me with over $25,000 remaining balance if hospital doesn't write off.

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Foxrac

Yup, only one moderator, not all of them and one will edit my post if they find any name calling.

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Jiro

let's see......

would that be a problem for you if it's free in America?

do you agree?

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TXgolfer

If by "America" you mean the United States of America.....that would depend on how this "free" healthcare was paid for.

No, not really.

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TXgolfer

This isn't about you, it's about the fellow in the story. Making it about you makes it....well....political.

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Jiro

is there different kind of America? ..... like Texas?

aren't you familiar with Obamacare?

so under your current healthcare coverage... you'll be fine in case of $143 hospital bill?

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TXgolfer

Perhaps you missed the OPs request that this not be political.

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Jiro

political? we're talking about medical insurance.

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TXgolfer

According to the OP Obamacare is political....if you agree you should discuss it with him.

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CrazyPaul

Jiro

oh ok fine. How about Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) then?

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TXgolfer

Is a rose by any other name just as political? Again you will have to discuss that with the OP.

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diehardbiker

Fore! Oh Im Texas? Wow!

Anyway, that guy I just fore! at him is correct, this is political bullshit that I called. Yes, this is purely political.

Even though I understood Obamacare and its intention. Right now the medical cost is on runaway right now. It has been out of control since Nixon Partially de-regulated medical industry back in 70's. Ever since these event, Health insurance has been increased double digits percentile. Mind you, medical cost has skyrocket, and this has to get in control somehow, otherwise there will be windfall.

The point here is that this poor guy got bite by rattlesnake, if the health insurance become requirements, and everyone pays health care, his medical bills won't be that high because everybody pays for them. Unfortunately not everyone pays, ending up some without health care got care without paying a penny, who is going to foot these bill? Those who pays insurance, is that justifiable? I don't think so. I personally support universal health care.

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