Posted on 07/30/2015 9:26:59 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A metro woman was shocked when she received a $200,000 hospital bill after being bitten by a snake.
Diane Nelson says she was wearing rubber gloves and working in her yard when she came across a Copperhead with a short temper.
Diane had been pulling grass from around her bushes when she felt a sting.
“When I pulled my glove off, I had two marks on my finger,” she said.
It was a bite from a Copperhead snake.
Within hours, Nelson’s entire arm was swollen and she was rushed to the ICU in need of anti-venom.
“I was in ICU for about two days, 48 hours,” Nelson said.
Two days and 18 vials of anti-venom later, Nelson was able to go home. She later received her bill, which was nearly $200,000 just for the anti-venom.
“The anti-venom is actually an anti-body that is specific for the type of snakes we have here in Oklahoma,” said Scott Schaeffer, with the Oklahoma Center For Poison and Drug Information.“It’s a very expensive anti-venom to make.”
Schaffer says the anti-venom is expensive for several reasons.
“The snakes have to be milked and several types are milked to create a pool of venom,” he said.
It then goes through an extensive process to create the drug, which is all done in Australia.
It is then shipped to hospitals here.
Another reason is there is a low demand for the drug and most hospitals do not keep much of it on hand.
“The shelf life compared to other drugs is relatively short. So if it doesn’t get used, it has to be discarded,” Schaeffer said.
“I was shocked. I knew it would be expensive but not that expensive,” Nelson said.
Fortunately, Nelson found out her insurance will cover the cost.
“It saved my life so I can’t complain,” she said.
If you are bitten by a snake, there are things you should not do.
Experts say you should never try to suck the venom out. In fact, Schaeffer says that could actually make it worse.
Also, don’t use ice on the bite and don’t use a tourniquet to keep the venom from spreading.
Instead, go immediately to the hospital.
Officials say while July has been a busy month for snake bites, they’re actually seeing a pretty average number for the year.
Yeah, when I was at UNM, I stepped on a needle, and it broke off in my foot.. I’d have dug it out myself if I could have turned my leg around enough to see what I was doing.
Went to Student Health Services, and the Dr. there wouldn’t do anything (that a rookie Army medic wouldn’t think twice about doing in the field) and sent me to the UNM hospital.
They called in an orthopedic surgeon who used a fluoroscope, and with an anesthesiologist and a cardiologist standing by in case I had a heart attack or something. It was insane.
They billed me $1000.00.... and that was 35 years ago.
Ever since then I’ve hated doctors who live in fear of lawyers.
I stepped on a big one, I was barefoot at the time.
My standing broad jump would have won an Olympic gold.
Dat Green Monster looks BAD! Where i grew up in S.Louisiana, here is the BADA$$ of all time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ2l4owxC7s&feature=player_embedded
That was pretty nasty. I wouldn’t want to meet either one! I hate Cottonmouths. They are mean and often strike without notice. I have almost stepped on a few of them, and it’s a miracle I didn’t have a heart attack on the spot.
You can find multitudes of conflicting advice, but no tourniquet (tight gauze instead), no cold, no cutting or sucking seem to be pretty widely accepted. And no one seems to object to pumps, though they may not be effective and often include scalpels. Within an hour or so of help, a clean wound and preventing shock is probably more important.
Bet the insurance company didn’t pay half of the $200,000
**The snakes have to be milked**
I didn’t know they had nipples.
Retain a medical billing negotiator.
Thanks for the advice.
But I’ve researched the actual costs of the services rendered, and told them what I am willing to pay; They can accept a fair price or sue me. I am essentially judgement proof with no income and I don’t use credit or plans for either income or credit use in the future, so I don’t much care.
That's the problem, right there. They either don't have the guts to put the animal down, (the sense to not buy it in the first place), or the brains to take it to a shelter or zoo.
Thank The Almighty we have Winter here, it cuts down on the invasive species.
LOL! I was checking petroglyphs out in Colorado with a friend who went to climb up a dry waterfall in the canyon and 'disturbed' a rattler.
I heard the buzz, looked over, and realized he had teleported about 50 feet away from the snake.
I never knew him to move that fast, before or since.
Amazing what a little shot of adrenaline can do for a fellow's athletic prowess.
Thanks, makes more sense now (in a number of ways).
I am so sorry to hear about your experience. Sadly it is the rule rather than the exception.
“Show me the signed contract”...
Yeah, I’ve used that one too.
Unfortunately if you are conscious when you come in, they make you sign a paper... they say that it is merely permission to treat you.... But it also includes that you are responsible for any charges. They pretty much consider that to be a contract to pay anyone who wants to send you a bill, whether they did anything for you, or just made up some bogus charge.
Exactly
I'll bet gruberment types do - last minute, full boat price.
"Because we had orders."
Which does the person with no insurance, but unqualified for medicaid absolutely no good - He would be on the hook for the full amount.
And even if the 'real price' is 1/3... Are you kidding me? SEVENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS? You're OK with that?
And what, pray tell, if your insurance has a handy-dandy loophole to slither out of? Then you are the bag-holder. What then?
I hate them! Glad you weren’t bitten.
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