My hospital bill

So, I'm completely convinced that the system is broken with healthcare now. From my previous experiences with dealing with doctors and billing, it's always been known to me that insurance companies have the power to negotiate cheaper rates than you as a consumer could hope to achieve if you didn't have insurance, or chose to go to a doctor who hasn't signed up with your insurance plan. Generally, we're talking about some marginal increase compared to what the fee normally is. The insurance company may get away with your visit being $50 instead of the $85 your doctor charges. Or maybe $90 instead of the $150 you'd pay him without it.

So, fast forward to my appendectomy that happened about 6 weeks ago. I went to the emergency room. I had a lot of crap done to me. I'm incredibly thankful that everyone was there and literally saved my life. I was in shock and awe when the hospital sent me notice of the charges (just the hospital's portion, not the doctors) and they were billing over $25,000 for one my one night stay, my one (very well done) laparascopic appendectomy, all of the diagnostics, and everything that went along with that. My reaction at the time was "Damn...surgery is friggin expensive."

But today, I got the explanation of benefits from my health insurance. To cut to the chase, the $25,000+ bill was reduced to $2600 and some change, and (thankfully) I'm not responsible for any of it. I'm one of the lucky ones whose health insurance owns up to it, and paid the whole bill for my very emergency surgery. I'm just shocked that the hospital signs up to rates that are a tenth of what they would charge the average joe-blow off the street who can't afford health insurance.

The poorest of our nation can't afford health insurance, and they certainly can't afford surgery. We are a nation of quickly dividing classes, and I'm lucky enough to fall into one that protects me from the disasters that our system sets up (at least for now). I'm thankful, but I'm concerned. I'm alive, and I owe it to everybody who worked to pull out my appendix, because over 400 people die from appendicitis in our country every year. How many of them might be saved if they didn't fear a $25,000 hospital bill, and got to the hospital in time? And how many of them did, and are now bankrupt because of it. We can do better.