When Tracy was rushed to the hospital on the Northside of Atlanta Rud-Cherokee emergency gallbladder surgery in April, he got a seven-page Bill, which was almost $ 40,000. "I wanted to cry," she told ABC News. "I thought, ' this is too big."... I was absolutely flabbergasted by what health care costs the hospital. "
The other: "real money" shows you how you can save on the emergency room bills.
Hospital Bill, among other things, showed that one of the blood pressure of the bill was paid $ 15.50; surgical stapler for $ 895; Disposable scissors tip, $ 177. And three nights in the hospital to separate Rud lived at 133. Even if the insurance adjustments, Rud, the mother, was still responsible for more than $ 20,000.
ABC News-a study, however, the Rud's hospital bill was compared with the row product list on one of the USA's largest hospital. Inside look at the list of ABC News, showed that $ 15 a blood pressure pill — clonidine — hospitals could buy only 3 cents. A whole bottle of 100 pills costs just $ 2.75, in fact.
The other: "real money" ways to save the families of hospital expenses.
Rud got five bags in a simple IV fluids during his three days in the hospital against 148.50 bag. ABC News found the same bag in the hospital in the catalogue of $ 1.17. And sterile water is commonly used for irrigation in the hospitals, which had been billed $ 67, Rud could have have the same list for $ 1.16.
Rud told ABC News, "some of the payments really looked out of line to me." Northside Hospital system consists of three different nonprofit hospitals is located in three different Georgia counties. Rud, the mother, was treated at Northside Hospital Cherokee County. ABC News also that Atlanta Northside Hospital System – whose CEO Robert Quattrochhi makes $ 2.1 million a year, according to newly available for 2010 hospital tax forms obtained by ABC News — a consumer advocacy group Georgia watch was criticized because the hospital in 2009, exaggerated pricing.
in 2009, Georgia watch's report stated that the Northside Hospital-Cherokee with Rud was treated, had 339 percent markup over the cost. The report also found that in the radiology and other diagnostic procedures at the Northside Hospital-Cherokee 455% inflated. Georgia Watch said on the ABC News report the numbers had not been updated for a few years, but these were the last numbers were in the hospital system. Northside Hospital refused to ABC News requests for an interview on camera.
On the phone from ABC News, Northside, said that hospital had lost millions of dollars a year to people who did not pay their bills, and Medicare and Medicaid. Northside, said that patients like Rud ended up making the difference. And email ABC News, Russ Davis, Director of marketing and public relations at the Northside Hospital, Inc., told ABC News, "we give an interview or offered any public position on the related hospital billing story."
"We want to address the specific concerns and/or questions the patient is related to his bill directly to him and through the media," Davis said in an e-mail. ABC News also reached out to the American Hospital Association, which repeatedly refused to ABC News requests for an interview. Email notification, rich Umbdenstock, the American Hospital Association President, told ABC News "in today's Hospital Bill is a symptom of a broken payment system. It is an example of the fragmented nature of the distribution system, which the hospital bills often reflect only one aspect of the treatment. "
Please read the complete statement of the American Hospital Association here.
Rud hired Beth Morgan, a medical billing advocate from a medical Bill for outreach in Connecticut, who helped him get's itemized bill from the hospital. Morgan helped Rud to come up with an offer that, according to Morgan, is "fair, normal and reasonable that his territory." Rud's entire original invoice is $ 38,801 his insurance covers the $ 4,750 and adds to the $ 13,000 were taken out the insurance adjustments.
With the help of his billing advocate serves to settle his remaining share of Rud invoice for $ 10,000. When her previous insurance payment almost $ 5000 into $ 10,000 bid at 38 Rud n percent more than the estimated $ 10,730 that Medicare would have paid Rud's in the entire hospital. Northside asked Rud's financial information and today sent a letter, which, in addition to Rud offers him $ 800, 4.2% discount of almost $ 21,000 he still owes.
This month in the Journal of the American Medical Association, entitled "critical issues in American health care", Special Edition, a panel of experts from around the United States examined the country's health care system problems. David Cutler at Harvard University and lead author of the special communication this month, JAMA told ABC News "transparency is key. … This is the beginning, but can go a lot farther. "
ABC News also reached out to many of the other authors of the JAMA hospital bills on the issue. Post: the prices must be open and current transparency is not enough. Dave Matheson, a senior officer of the Boston Consulting Group and author of a special edition of JAMA, told ABC News, "we need much better information on the results of the procedures (and other forms of treatment), so that we can review and not just to pay judgments."
Dr. Joanne Lynn, Director of the Center for elder care and advanced disease of Altarum Institute, said, "people should not expect to run up thousands of dollars in debt, without choices." The nation deserves to know, "medical care" is likely to be, in addition to the costs of long term care costs, Lynn told ABC News. Morgan said patients should not fear the Bill supports the approach and negotiate with the hospital if they suspect they are too. "I would like to pay the Bill," Rud said. "I just don't want to overpay. … Give me a fair price and you will get the money. ABC News ' Dr. Mark Abdelmalek, Rebecca Jarvis and Julia Bain contributed to this article.