So I was looking at the breakdown of George's bill. George's $497.75 bill.
The two extractions cost a total of $59.00. Add in a couple of other things done to the teeth and gums, and we're up to$110.
Here's where it goes into Crazyland: An injection - not the medicine injected, mind you, but the ACT of injection, the service if you will, cost $30.00. Giving the cat a shot was more than an actual extraction, which was $29.50. People, *I* know how to give injections. Intramuscular, subcu, intravenous, intraperitoneal, I'm down with it. I learned while making $6.00/hr. at an animal shelter.
OK. Then I get the bill for the visit with the ear/nose/throat specialist. Apparently he lives in a world where it makes sense to charge $643.00 for the 45 seconds it takes to pull a pine needle from my ear with a pair of tweezers. He's in-network, and I'm waiting for my insurer's bill, because the hospital is indicating I'm responsible for the ~$240 my insurance didn't pay. I'm curious to see whether I am liable for it, because I need some notice so I can polish my HELL NO phone call to the billing department. You know, the call where I mention that if my car repairs are over $150, the law requires a written estimate, so there's already a precedent for getting permission before you impose a large expense on someone. I'm going to suggest that my mechanic is more in touch with reality.
Seriously, there are people who argue that we don't want government-sponsored healthcare. Really? $643.00 to pluck out a pine needle makes sense?
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