- 2,055
Tiny doll shoes up a little girl’s nose lead to big medical bill
Then the bill came: $2,658.98, consisting of a $1,732 hospital bill and a $926.98 physician bill.
“Not every urgent situation is an emergency,” the hospital said in an emailed statement. “It is important for patients to understand the terms of their health insurance before seeking treatment. For example, those with high-deductible plans may want to consider urgent care centers in nonemergency situations.”
The Bransons had options as they chose their employer-sponsored health plan. They picked one with a high deductible of $6,000 per year. So instead of paying $500 more a month in premiums, the family could pocket that difference if they avoided any major health problems.
The Bransons were ready to cover the full deductible for any emergency that might arise. They just never thought something as simple as extracting a plastic shoe with tweezers would garner such a big bill.
For parents whose children have put things up their noses: Scholes said such objects rarely move much and can generally wait until an appointment the next morning. Having the object removed without the ER facility fee will be cheaper.
Then the bill came: $2,658.98, consisting of a $1,732 hospital bill and a $926.98 physician bill.
“Not every urgent situation is an emergency,” the hospital said in an emailed statement. “It is important for patients to understand the terms of their health insurance before seeking treatment. For example, those with high-deductible plans may want to consider urgent care centers in nonemergency situations.”
The Bransons had options as they chose their employer-sponsored health plan. They picked one with a high deductible of $6,000 per year. So instead of paying $500 more a month in premiums, the family could pocket that difference if they avoided any major health problems.
The Bransons were ready to cover the full deductible for any emergency that might arise. They just never thought something as simple as extracting a plastic shoe with tweezers would garner such a big bill.
For parents whose children have put things up their noses: Scholes said such objects rarely move much and can generally wait until an appointment the next morning. Having the object removed without the ER facility fee will be cheaper.
