“Of course, back then a broken wrist wasn’t a five-figure emergency room bill.”
When I saw the bills, I was stunned. Made me understand concerns about escalating medical costs.
We had gone about 25 years without medical insurance. Hence we thought twice, before visiting a physician of any kind.
When we needed medical help, we went to a “walk-in” clinic. Paid cash. And got pretty good care, too.
I’m 66 yrs. of age, now. Seen my share of doctors over mostly broken bones.
Last year I had a serious injury including a broken shoulder, subsequent surgery. Fortunately now covered by insurance.
One of the last injuries before I got insurance, was a hairline arm fracture. Waited about 10 days, before going to the walk-in for xrays. Sure enough, I was right-self-diagnosed myself as having fractured the bone, in a fall.
The physician said no splint was required, but advised me to go the Physical Therapy, same owner company as walk-in clinic.
I didn’t go to therapy, but learned it would be fast and easy to run up bills by the thousands on a non-insured basis.
It isn’t medical costs that are escalating so much as it is that you have to pay for YOUR treatment as well as 3-5 others’ treatment that walked on THEIR bills.