And the FINAL medical bill rolled in today

So, the one we've been waiting for FINALLY showed up in our postbox today. THE bill. The biggie. That one where you go "was my husband's heart REALLY worth it?" (I'm totally kidding. They could have charged me at LEAST a few hundred more before I'd change me mind...hey, joking. Still joking here!!).

The good news first, we do have health insurance. Tod is getting better. He and I are healthy, happy, and our lights now work.

The bad news: The total hospital bill? JUST the hospital bill (not including all the doctors' appointments, and tests done BEFORE the 25th when he was admitted, and SINCE he got out): the GRAND TOTAL for Tod's open heart surgery? (It's ugly. DON'T LOOK...)




Ok, you asked for it: $ 75, 466.55


It's not that bad you say? Well, sure, if it was a HOUSE we were buying...or say, this car:


Ok, ok. Perhaps this is in poor taste, but it isn't saying I'd value a really really nice, sexy convertable Mercedes Benz SL-Class SL 500 over my dear husband...Really. It makes me wonder about the state of our Health Care System in the US. Tod and I were lucky on many many levels. We had the money (well, ok, no we didn't, but we had a house we could borrow against). We had help (some help from some very good people). We had a lot of emotional support, and I didn't even have to take a leave of absence from work, so I got paid while I stayed at the hospital or at home to take care of Tod. It makes me wonder: What if we didn't? What if we were one of the thousands of working poor out there with NO health insurance? Thank you G.W. for NOT working harder to give us a national health care program, but allowing drug companies to grease your palm with ill-gotten gains...Oh, and for NOT allowing drugs to be made AFFORDABLE for those that need it most (the elderly, the uninsured, etc.)...

Ok, I'll get off my soap box. The number wasn't so bad, really. But why we are asked to pay 11 dollars for a single asprin while in the hospital (We bought I think 1000 tablets of asprin when we got home, for less than 11 dollars...). What is WRONG with this picture??!! Oh, sorry, I was getting OFF my soap box...Done. I'm off.

But tell me, why is it we don't have a national health care system like the UK or Canada???? I thank my lucky stars we had insurance. I really feel for those out there who do not. (BTW - there's a really good book that relates to this topic and I suggest it to anyone who has an interest in this. It's called "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America". And if you want to read more, you can go here. Now, GO!