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In reply to the discussion: My Hospital Bill was $119,000 for 5 days [View all]Rozlee
(2,529 posts)I've worked in rehab hospitals with patients that have had ortho procedures like hip replacements, back surgeries, amputations, etc. And I'm always shocked at the range of costs that they report for the same surgeries under the same circumstances. And gall bladder surgery can be a lapi or an open surgery. An open gallbladder surgery can keep you in the hospital for up to five days if you keep running a fever or any other complication. I've seen hip replacement surgeries that cost from $60,000 to $180,000 depending on the doctor, the hospital and other factors. We were never supposed to recommend any one particular surgeon to our patients over another, but some of the ortho docs took the idea that they were the Christian Louboutins of the medical world and should be able to charge a designer price. As for radiological or laboratory procedures, I've seen them run the gamut as well. I had an MRI of my brain with and without contrast in 2007. It cost $10,000. Think of how the Ryan Plan would impact on seniors on Medicare if they got vouchers of only $20,000 a year or so. Many of them would be destitute.