$888 for a boot for a broken ankle

[AllentownJake]

My friend broke her ankle last weekend. Slipped and fell preparing for an OFA meeting and her grand daughter's christening. After breaking her ankle she delayed going to the hospital so that she could host her OFA meeting on Healthcare reform and cook for her grand daughter's christening. She's a tough cookie. Both her husband and her were laid off in November and thanks to the the stimulus plan's aiding people with their COBRA coverage can still afford her insurance.

That being said she just got the bill for her boot. $888. She'll pay $88 as a 10% copay. The boot is not much more advanced than a ski boot. All it does is immobilize her ankle.

The boot cost about $5 in parts and labor to make. I'll give the boot manufacture a $50 to cover malpractice insurance and another $10 for marketing costs and $10 to compensate the patent holder. So overall the cost of the boot should be around $75-85 to manufacture.

How the fuck do we justify charging $888 for a boot that cost $85 to manufacture in this country. That is why there is such an outcry over the public option. The government might have something to say about paying $888 for an advanced ski boot.

People profiting off of people's broken ankles is obscene.

[kestrel91316]

1. Whatever happened to plaster casts, lol? They worked just fine,

and cost next to nothing.....

[AllentownJake]

3. Doctor probably gets a kick back for the boot

:shrug:

[Uben]

5. Doubt it

It's more likely the orthopedic surgeon keeps these in inventory. He probably pays $300/ea for thge boots and the rest is his mark up. They do this because the insurance companies let them. If you call the insurance company, they will tell you it is between you and your doctor, not them. They do not scrutinize bills.

[sandnsea]

6. Oh yes they do

I have never billed an insurance company that didn't have a set amount it paid for every code, which varied from group to group. About the only time you can get them to change an amount paid, as the billing entity, is to convince them they've made a mistake in the service provided.

As to the patient complaining about high prices, you're right, that part they don't care about. That's the part that is ridiculous and is the fault of patients over the years. I can remember my mother getting upset about billing costs because she was on Medicare and Medicaid - and my Republican sister telling her to stop worrying about those things because nobody else does, not even anybody with insurance. If nobody is pitching a fit about costs, obviously they're going to just keep going through the roof.

[AllentownJake]

8. For DME or Pharma they want the manufacturer

They negotiate rebates with these companies after payment is made. With the manufacturer cutting the insurance company a check for making them a preferred provider.

Its not even about who makes the best boot. Its who will make the best back room deal.

[msongs]

2. how much goes to the CEO of her health insurance provider and his lobbyists? nt

[AllentownJake]

4. Who really knows

The boot was billed at $888 and she had to pay 10%. What the insurance company actually pays for the boot we will never know. It was billed at $888 and I guarantee you it will be reported on their tax form as an $888 expense. However, after rebates (an awesome little scam they've thought up with each other) They will probably pay a lot less for the boot.

The major health networks, DME manufacturers, Pharma, and the Insurance companies are all in bed with each other and have created a really awesome system of scams that would make the Russian mob and the Nigerian schemers green with envy.

[Arkansas Granny]

7. I broke my ankle a few years ago and had to wear a boot that sounds

like the one you describe. It was a knee high contraption with a padded insert that strapped on with velcro. I was instructed by my physician to go to a local drug store and purchase mine and it cost about $90.00. Maybe the doctor or clinic charges a fantastic markup.

You can see a picture here that looks very similar to the one I purchased.

http://www.braceshop.com/productcart/pc/DonJoy-Walkabout-Walking-Boot-16p926.htm

[AllentownJake]

9. looks more like a ski boot.

[grantcart]

10. well you forgot the $ 445 for the special vaseline so that the boot could be inserted . . .

[erinlough]

11. My mother died of a massive stroke

She lived a day and a half in the hospital. She had only comfort care and we were with her for her last 36 hours non stop. When the bill came for the stay in the hospital it was $14,000. We were dumb-struck. She was billed for 9,000 in medication, physical therepy, you name it. Because she was on medicare and private insurance we were only responsible for $600.00. I was so angry about the extensive charges to Medicare that I called the hospital for an explanation of the charges, of course they couldn't discuss it with me because of HIPPA. So my sisters and I called and tried to talk to medicare about the charges and they wouldn't discuss them either because they would have to have my dead mother's permission (and yes we had power of attorney and her husband could not get the information either). Our next step was to call our congressman who explained to us that this is the way the hospital recovers costs of uninsured. The standard death benefit for a hospital death is 14,000 from medicare so they charge that regardless.

I have personal proof how not insuring everyone in this country drives up medical costs and encourages fraud in the medical community. We should all question our charges and my advice to everyone is sign a notorized letter authorizing a family member to have complete access to all your medical information. My father became seriously ill shortly after my mother died and we made sure we corrected these things.

[AllentownJake]

12. My gall bladder surgery cost $30,000

2 days in the hospital, some morphine, and a 30 minute procedure with anesthesia. $30,000 fucking dollars.

[otohara]

13. $650 Co-Pay to Stick A Needle in My Breast

the entire procedure cost is $1400.00.

I haven't done it yet, because chances are it's nothing and I refuse to panic over something that can be watched a while longer via mammograms.

[Hekate]

15. Otohara, you shouldn't need to be told this: Watch what?! Get your procedure done, gal.

Isn't a needle biopsy an in-office procedure?

Best of luck.

Hekate

[KT2000]

14. Some advice!

It is too late for you but I want to encourage people to purchase boots like this at second hand stores. In case you need one in the future you will have one on hand for about 5 or 10 dollars. Get a pair of crutches too.
The boots are barely worn, they fit right or left and you will have it when and if you need it.

Even at 88 dollars co-pay - that is ridiculous.

[Trajan]

16. 18 months ago ...

I broke my ankle (torsion fracture of lower fibula) and required a 'cast boot' ....

My copay with Kaiser was a shocking $9 dollars ....

That is NINE dollars ....

Yeah .... I was very surprised ....