Getting sick is expensive...

So...I had to go the ER recently. My stomach hurt and I hadn't, um...you know...poo'd for several days. I thought I was just constipated but even a near overdose of laxatives had no effect.

So after being convinced to go to the ER (by my ex-GF Lisa who for some reason still cares about me not dying), I headed down for the 3 hour wait in the waiting room.

Well, after the 3-hour wait in the waiting room, then another 3 hours in the actual ER, it turns out I had diverticulitis; a diagnosis which apparently costs around $5,300.

It gets broken down like this:

1. Facility charge - $970 - I guess this is the charge for just walking in the door and sitting in a waiting room for 3 hours.

2. Facility charge - $496 - Not sure why there's a second facility charge, but I'm guessing this was a disguised charge for the doctor sticking his finger up my butt to check for a blockage...because I don't see that anywhere else on the bill.

3. Body CT Scan (Abdomen) - $1,873 - Yep, that's what it costs to lie in a metal tube while a guy with an Indian accent says "You must remain very still, thank you"

4. Body CT Scan (Pelvic) - $1,647 - Apparently, the Pelvic scan is cheaper than the Abdomen scan...or maybe I was there during hour when all pelvic scans are 10% off.

5. Chem Lab - $129 - I don't remember taking this class during my visit.

6. IV Solution - $94 - Rumor has it that they were out of the I, II, and III solutions.

7. Lab - $79 - I never saw the lab, but that's okay because I have friends who own labs (Hi, Andy and Bear and Bradley and Deuce!!)

8. Pharmacy - $76 - I left the hospital with two prescriptions...no actual drugs...just the prescription paperwork. It costs $76 to generate this paperwork.

All I can say is thank god for insurance. My share of the bill is only $100. Let's hope my coverage is this good when I get a colonoscopy in March.

:)