Emergency Room Visit Cost - Buyer Experiences and Price Information

Just got a 2nd bill for $4,900 in addition to an earlier bill for $385. Does not specify what it covers exactly. The nurse who recommended that I go to the emergency room was wrong. The Doctor didn't see anything wrong since my blood pressure was 124/80 and there was nothing anomalous on the chest x-ray.

Son had bicycle spill with multiple abrasions and 3 chipped teeth at 5pm. Went to Stanford EM (only available dentist after hours). 2 hours in waiting room, an intern looked at teeth and said to see regular dentist. No bandage for abrasions, no ice for swelling, no tests other than blood pressure. Just received bill for $9410.13. We had total of less than 9 minutes of interaction with staff including check-in and nurse for blood pressure, never made it past waiting room. I called to ask them to itemize the charges, so far have only gotten $250 for 1/2 hour of physician (3 minutes == 30 minutes I suppose?), $15.13 for an antibiotic that we never received, and $9000+ of hospital overhead that was not explained.

the $1126.77 was with a 40% uninsured reduction plus $485.00 doctor bill . visit date was january 30 2016 , but the calendar on this comments page currently ends december 2015 . this is somewhat a correction of my previous post.

The Saint Anthony - Saint Petersburg hospital emergency room cost was $1126.77 . That's with the uninsured 40% reduction .An additional 10% reduction if paid within 30 days . There's also a doctors bill for $485.00 .The reason for the visit was a severely pulled muscle , right side , on back , above hip , felt like something ruptured . Got prescription for muscle relaxers and some heavy aspirin .

This is just purely the cost of the room $4K. I went to a Duke hospital in Raleigh 6 months ago.. same thing $4000. That's for 2 hours of sitting there waiting to be consulted and getting a 1 hour IV drip of antibiotics. The IV, doctor, etc are all separately billed ran under $1000 which I thought was reasonable.
That room gets used over and over and over again every day and is billed to every single person that uses it while being diagnosed.

Nice people in ER. I spoke to doctor about my 10 hour wait sitting there. All the poor people that didn't have to pay make it almost impossible to get help. They don't give their name, but apparently I get to pay for them. Insurance covered 2500, but it still seems my $1000 is a lot.

this is some peterpopoff stuff. the hospital bill, $624, doctor bill, $500, lab bill $170. i'm not sure if my medical provider was a doctor or nurse practitioner. either way was in that waiting room longer than i was being cared for. still glad that ER is nearby though, could've been worse and had to commute more than 10 minutes.

Doctor spent less than two minutes looking at her nose and said it was too swollen to tell if it was broken and that she should come back in a week. That brilliant diagnosis cost $870 or $435 dollars per minute. No X-rays or any type of diagnostic was performed.

My daughter have little bit cut under her chin, just to make sure I brought her in to the first choice emergency room in Pflugerville tx. I didn't check mywith my insurance, we went in less then 15mins. The doctor looked at her and applied the clue cream on her chin, then we went home. A month later, I got the bill, it said: emergency room cost $1400 and $ $700 for op visit with doctor's procedure. I have no ideal, where are these number come from. I am very disappointed and mad. Because, when you don't know what kinds the procedures they did, and cost. Don't ever step in those place call emergency room. You will regret for rest of your life. If it is at the hospital or you stay over night or something else. I don't mind to pay. But little scratch. Don't bother.

Had sinus infection and a broken Molar. Doctor looked at tooth and percribed Sudafed and Oxycodone. Recommeded a dentist.

I took my wife to the poinciana medical centre with severe chest pains. They diagnosed a heart attack, performed relevant tests and administered appropriate stabilising drugs before arranging ambulance transport to neighbouring hospital with a cardiologist department. Total time at the centre was less than 2 hours. So far, we have had two bills:
1. UNITEMISED FOR $18,405
2. DOCTORS EVALUATION FOR $1,972
We are tourists with emergency medical insurance, but the vast proportion of these bills are not met by the insurance. All i have read about ER costs are nowhere near this amount. We return to the UK in 2 weeks. What can we do?

Had food stuck in throat. Took almost 2 hours to get out of waiting room. Waited another 5 hours to put a tube down my throat. Why did they take blood for blood work ??? I should have refused it. They gave muscle relaxant which the nurse said she has NEVER seen it work. Had to confirm food was stuck with Xray before they would even contact a surgeon. Was in surgery a total of 10 minutes. The amount above didn't include the doctor bills - another $3,000 charge. I have insurance, but still have $7,000 due after insurance.

I went to the ER and all they did was take my vital signs, I did not even go back into the rooms. I sat down in the waiting room and after an hour told them that I wanted to just head home. I just got a bill for $419. Can someone explain this? How can they justify charging me $419 for taking my temperature and blood pressure?

drove myself to the ER because my tonsils swelled up real bad in two hours and were blocking my airway. When I got there, my legs, hands, wrists, and face were numb and could not breath. They took my heart rate. Sat me in a wheelchair and had me wait about 30 minutes in the waiting room. Finally get sent to a room and the only thing the doctor did was look at my mouth gave me 3 IVs there (a painkiller, a steroid, and sodium chloride) then three prescriptions. Diagnosed me with pharyngitis, acute bacterial tonsilitis, and an upper respiratory infection. Bill came and the hospital charged me $2245. The doctor charged me $726. No blood work, urine sample, x-Rays, or anything. They didn't even swab my mouth. Ridiculous amount just to have someone look at your mouth.

ER Doctor and hospital charges were reasonable.

URINALYSIS an URINE CULTURE $ 1200.00
one thousand eighty seven for lab tests and $133 for a pathology review of and automated report

Self diagnosed the UTI but it was the worst pain I've ever had with one. It went straight to my kidneys within hours. Three doses of pyridium with no result so went to ER. They had to give me Percocet for the pain. It's a good thing I have some left over for the pain that accompanies the bill.

ER visit for hypokalemia, 2 IV with potassium and spend 8 hours in the ER.
Total $8,144.00, insurance pay 3k and my deductible 5k...
Still waiting for the doctor bill, 8k just the hospital fee!!

went to Mercy's 'convenient care' clinic with extreme pain & limited mobility in my leg. Doc was concerned I had a blood clot and referred me to their ER for an ultrasound. 2 hours later, ultrasound results inconclusive ... but, they told me that didn't mean I don't have a blood clot??? I have United Healthcare via employer. I paid $858 at the ER. Mercy has now billed UHC $1780+ ($1000 for ER, $774 for ultrasound). After deductible, my out of pocket = $1315. UHC told me Mercy is in network, but they don't have discounted rates with them. I have since had MRI via my primary care physician and another hospital. Total cost only $1350!!! And now I at least know it's a blown knee. How crazy is it that an ultrasound + ER costs $500 more than an MRI including radiologist opinion???? I'm filing dispute with UHC to mitigate with Mercy and will file complaint with my HR (sadly not hopeful, just SO frustrated!!)

I had just taken a trip overseas and upon returning had the worst leg cramps constantly that night in both legs all night long. Had to fly again all the way home the next day and the cramps continued the next night, and the next. Though no swelling, I better check it out in case of DVT and since I didn't have a regular doctor went to one of those small ER places right by my house. Doctor asked questions and checked out my legs and listened to my breathing. Thought I should have the tests done just in case since he had a guy the week before who actually did have DVT. So, the ultrasound girl was called in and she's actually the one that did something to determine if I had DVT or not - spent a good 30 mins checking both legs thoroughly. Got blood drawn for a CDC blood test and the D-timer. Doctor comes back after everything and says I don't have DVT and I should take Tylenol for pain.Charged for 8 separate labwork at $250 ea, plus $2K for emerg. room, $2K dr, $800 ultrasound, etc

Radiology diag. General ankle LT min 3 view charged 704$. I'm looking into disputing this cost for an ER X-ray.

I have had enough of the gouging. Unfortunately I own a small business, so I can't afford to buy insurance for family of 4. The lowest plan was $7,800 a year premiums PLUS a $12,000 family deductible... for a total cost of $19,800! Other plans were similar in price, premiums higher and deductibles lower... all at a cost of $17,500 or more.
So my son was checked for Strep... didn't have it. They checked blood for WBC's possibly raised through the roof to indicate infection and likely appendicitis... came back negative. Then they told us... we have to do the CT scan because it's still possible he could have appendicitis (which is true). Diagnosis: Mesenteric adenitis
Costs:
ER visit... $1,934
CT scan... $3,734
Various tests (chem,lab,hema,micro)... $516
Meds... $74
Total: $6,267 minus a 'generous' 12% cash discount.
Sorry, but 88% of ridiculous is still ridiculous.
Have a feeling we haven't even been sent everything. Last ER visit a 2nd 'doctor bill' arrived later for $800.

Told the staff at ER that wife got shampoo in her right eye very bad. We tried to flush with water for hours at home and did not help. She just need treatment to flush her right eye. After the staff told down our insurance info and waited for an hour to see the nurse. Told the nurse the same story and all she did was took her temperature and blood pressure. We waited over 2 hrs to see a Dr. and another hour for the nurse to place morgan len into her eye. In Summary it took us over 6 hrs from entering the ER to going home. We got the bill after two and half month. The ER room charge is $1100, treatment is $160 and some insurance adjustment is $80. So total about $1300+. Forgot to mention we were sanding most of the time at ER waiting area since there were some homeless people sleeping on the bench. Also our insurance co will not pay for it since we haven't met the deductible. Our healthcare system is so messed up...

My wife got something in her eye that scratched her cornea. It was on a Sunday so her eye doctor was closed and none of the common "Doc a box" centers would treat her eye, referring her to the ER. A scratched cornea is very painful so waiting till the next morning was out of the question. They numbed her eye to relieve the pain and gave her antibiotic drops.

I got cut by saw blade that dislodged off saw mill. My right ankle was the worse. No major vessels were cut. They gave me pain meds. Cut my pants, socks and boots off. Took several x-rays and bandaged. Then sat there several hours waiting for transport to Regions Hospital 70 miles away. Seems like being charged WAY TOO MUCH?

Went to ER with chest pain and trouble breathing. They did basic blood work, EKG, CT scan of chest, monitored vitals, IV and IV pain meds. Was there two hours and diagnosed with a middle lobe collapse in right lung. They were adament about admitting me for "observation and pain management". Talked to a patient advocate about cost. Was told if admitted it would cost me between $30,000.00 and $200,000.00 depending on if i would need bronchoscopy and/or chest tube!!!! NO JOKE PEOPLE!! I opted to not be admitted and take pain meds with bed rest at home....i paid a total of $37,049.00!!!! WTF! Apparently the lung collapse issue I had would resolve itself with rest! Screw them for trying to scare me into being admitted!!!

They were never able to figure out what was wrong with me. I sat there for about 4 hours in a chair outside the hospital in a tent! I wasn't dehydrated since I didn't throw up, just really tired and nauseous. Doctor came twice, and the second time didn't even remember why I was there (could have just been an intern who knows). Nurses were just checking liquids in the IV they gave me. They took a blood for a test, but didn't even tell me what they are checking for, or final result. Wanted to go home but didn't let me. Week later I got a bill for $2,500 (and that was with insurance!). Never understood why I had to stay there for, so long if there was "nothing wrong" with me. Oh wait I know - to collect as much money as possible!!!

Vacaville california 2015 took son to ER for abdominal pain spent 4 hours in the ER saw doctor for only 5 min he tell my son he has a kidney stone gave him a prescription then sent him home . 2 weeks later we get a bill for the ER visit its $24,000 this doesn't include the bill for the doctors or the meds what a f**in rip off!!!!!!!!!!!

Not sure why everyone is complaining about the costs for emergency care. They are open 24/7 and while a physician may charge $1000 for care, they assess you for life threatening conditions and emergent situations that cannot wait. For this, there is a matter of training, time, and convenience. If there is nothing wrong with you, rather than complain about the doctor, perhaps you should complain that you made a bad decision to tie up the emergency department with a none emergency condition. Or better yet, that your doctor that they checked you for a life threatening condition and sleep well tonight. If they make a mistake, I assure you that people will sue them for far more than anything they collect. I paid $350 for a plumber to unclog my sink on Christmas eve. I was very happy with my care as the doctor heard a murmur and ordered a CT. Diagnosed an aneurysm and I had open heart surgery at 46. Now alive and well. Total cost was $96,000 and you won't hear me complain once

Ekg - $588.00
And Waited for 4 Hrs. to tell me my pain in chest was nothing and that I have the flu..
that was $3,412.00 really that's a rip off! first of all they sent me a bill fore the $4,000.00 in which I though is was stupid. so I called them and told them u can't send a bill to customer that is not itemized.. this is outrageous!!!

My roomate had had strep the week prior to me developing an increasingly bad sore throat. I had good reason to suspect I also had strep. I learned that he had strep throat on a Friday, when I was feeling only a little sore in the throat. I wanted to be sick for a little time as possible, so in the morning, on Saturday, I called several places. Everywhere was closed. I am a Student in an unfamiliar town and the only place that had open hours on a collage game day was the emergency room. I came in, no one else was there. I filled out some paperwork, one nurse swabbed my throat, another took my measurements. I waited a few minutes in the waiting room chair. Maybe 1-2 people came in. I was taken to the back and sat on a bed for close to 2 hours. They tried to swab my throat again and had to stop them from doing the same test twice. They took down my insurance information wrong. The doctor came said it wasn't strep. Few weeks later, I get a bill for 700, a bill for 300, and a bill for 7.