PHOENIX — An Arizona woman is wondering what hurt more: getting stung by a scorpion or seeing her hospital bill after treatment.
Marcie Edmonds says the bill from Chandler Regional Medical Center was more than $83,000. That includes two doses of anti-venom at nearly $40,000 per dose.
The Arizona Republic () says Edmonds' insurer has paid more than $57,000 and the suburban Phoenix hospital is asking
The 52-year-old Ahwatukee (ah-wha-TU'-kee) Foothills resident was stung in June while opening a box of air conditioner filters in her garage.
Edmonds says an emergency room doctor told her about the Mexican anti-venom Anascorp that could quickly relieve her symptoms, but she was never told about the cost.
Chandler Regional says Edmonds' bill represents the out-of-network costs for her treatment.
I have done some checking and found different estimates, found below:
The Arizona Republic reported last year about the pricey markup Arizona hospitals were charging for the antivenom made in Mexico. Pharmacies in Mexico charge about $100 per dose.
Distributed to hospitals for about $3,800 per vial, toxicologists say.
Either way it shows what the entire medical profession has degenerated to. See my next blog.
