By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    headphones can create health problems
    The Harmful Health Effects of Using Headphones
    September 24, 2021
    Headache causes
    4 Causes Of Headache You Probably Didn’t Know About
    December 28, 2021
    follow these steps to recover from your injury
    What Steps Should You Take to Recover More Quickly from an Injury?
    April 12, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Cash Transfers: Good for HIV/AIDS Too
    August 9, 2012
    unnecessary medical tests
    Eagerly Awaiting the Death of Defensive Medicine
    September 5, 2013
    Image
    Mobile Health Around the Globe – mHealth Fighting Malnutrition in India
    December 17, 2012
    Latest News
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Healthcare Expenses in the US: These Hospital Bills on Reddit Say It All
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Finance > Healthcare Expenses in the US: These Hospital Bills on Reddit Say It All
BusinessFinanceHospital AdministrationPolicy & Law

Healthcare Expenses in the US: These Hospital Bills on Reddit Say It All

Deanna Pogorelc
Deanna Pogorelc
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE

Originally published on MedCityNews.com.

TIL a few surprising tidbits about how the cost of healthcare in the U.S. stacks up to other countries.

I actually saw them on Reddit — where TIL stands for “today I learned,” by the way. Yesterday some Twitter chatter (h/t @fredtrotter) brought to my attention that many a frustrated American has taken to Reddit to share his appalling medical bills in return for advice or empathy.

Originally published on MedCityNews.com.

More Read

Your Employees are Depressed. Why Employers and You Should Care
Whining About the Thousand-Dollar Pill
Man Robs Bank for $1 So He Could Get Healthcare in Prison
CLASS Act Could Be on Chopping Block
A Broader Approach To Managing Health Care Risk

TIL a few surprising tidbits about how the cost of healthcare in the U.S. stacks up to other countries.

I actually saw them on Reddit — where TIL stands for “today I learned,” by the way. Yesterday some Twitter chatter (h/t @fredtrotter) brought to my attention that many a frustrated American has taken to Reddit to share his appalling medical bills in return for advice or empathy.

In some cases, the comments are more interesting than the pictures themselves. This one from yesterday already has more than 280 comments. It’s from an uninsured user who said she went to the emergency room for stomach pains, where she was given morphine and several tests before being released six hours later.

hospital bills

I was fascinated to see that a lot of the users’ comments were in touch with some of the major issues the industry grapples with: the chargemaster, volume-based payment and access to health insurance, etc. Here’s one example:

People shouldn’t be using the ER like this. Regular primary care visits and urgent care center visits cost hundreds of dollars, not thousands. He waited until the last minute to seek care, and probably didn’t indicate his lack of insurance before they gave him the most expensive radiology service offered

Perhaps most interesting though is the people from other countries who told of similar experiences.

Honduran here. My last visit to the ER was $100 (meds included). The most I’ve spent in a hospital is $1500, which included surgery, meds, and post-op care. Health care and education in the US are so expensive :(. Sorry you have to go through that, OP.

And another:

My same experience :

I had appendicitis and I had to go to the ER in Canada. I had to get the same screenings as you. They gave me all sorts of pain killers and I even experienced the drip medicine! In the end, my bill came up to around $40 and that was for the ambulance. I love Canada.

A quick search through Reddit pics turns up dozens of other interesting hospital bills, like this one from someone in Alberta, Canada, posted with the (sarcastic) subject line “Outrageous hospital bill for having a baby.”

healthcare social media

Outrageous, right? Here’s another that caught my attention, from a user whose great-grandmother had a baby at a New Jersey hospital in 1965.

healthcare costs

Yes, the number in the total box says $165.10.

It’s easy to talk about how expensive healthcare is in the U.S., but it’s different to actually see it. Granted there’s a much bigger picture that isn’t captured in these bills — tax rates, access to care, quality of care, inflation, etc. — but they’re certainly a reminder to keep innovating and pushing for change.

[Images from Reddit/imgur]

Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

9 Lifestyle Tweaks That Can Add Years to Your Life
9 Healthcare Lifestyle Tweaks That can Add Years to Your Life
lifestyle
July 11, 2025
car accident lawsuit
Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
Policy & Law
July 6, 2025
women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025

You Might also Like

DiagnosticsMedical EthicsWellness

Protecting Human Subjects in Medical Research

February 28, 2016
take the right steps to grow your optometry business
Business

5 Great Ways to Grow Your Optometry Business

October 7, 2022

Hurricanes, Zika, and Healthcare Collapse

July 12, 2016
A Kid-Friendly Hospital: Promoting Child Life Services
eHealthHealth care

A Kid-Friendly Hospital: Promoting Child Life Services

July 20, 2018
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?