I can tell you that St. Jude’s hospitals do not pass along any cost reductions to people paying cash or with insurance. In 2009 I was taken to St.Jude’s hospital ER thinking I was having a heart attack. After ten minutes with a doctor and 4 hours of monitoring my heartbeat, they told me it was just a muscle spasm/cramp in my pectorals and the bill was over $8,000.
St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis does not have an ER. It functions as a hospital for children with serious diseases and specifically states in its material that it does not have an ER. All treatment for the children is provided totally free of charge, and even the parent’s travel cost and lodging is covered by the hospital.
Your experience must have been with a different hospital besides the one I referred to in my post. But thanks for your comments...it goes to show that medical charges can be outrageous. And definitely glad you were ok!