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Everybody deserves to be healthy because being full of energy means leading a good life. However, health becomes a real issue if you have to pay your weight in gold whenever you need to go to the hospital.

When US Senator Bernie Sanders asked his Twitter followers what the most absurd medical bill they’ve ever received was, the floodgates opened. The stories were shocking, to say the least. So here is a compilation of the most ridiculous medical bills that Americans were presented with. Get ready for your jaw to drop and your eyes to pop because some of these are unbelievable. Upvote the bills you found the most shocking, leave us a comment and remember to share with your friends.

More info: BernieSanders.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

#1

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didderbops Report

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Isle_of_stressed_pilots
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a huge lump in my throat from reading the ones where babies die. I can't possible imagine what you went through

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Some of these bills reached tens-of-thousands and even hundreds-of-thousands of bills. I’ll be honest with you, when I saw them I genuinely thought I was either seeing things or that somebody accidentally added a couple of extra zeroes.

#4

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Daniela-Iulia Balaciu
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is anything in that country for free? Can you breath for free? Or... maybe you went for the stitches removal to an all inclusive 5stars resort?

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#5

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Andres Tejeda
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is a shame, I swear I think doctors request test just to run up the bill.

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Marcellus the Third
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's more happy coincidence of the policy I think: If they don't run every likely & unlikely test and it turns out there's something else then the department is liable to getting sued for ludicrous sums. It's a whole ecosystem of problems, not a single cause (like greed) to fix!

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Kim Bush
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The ambulance service has a flat fee whenever they leave their base. Plus the cost of any and all supplies that are used. That being said, $12,000 is insane and that bill would be explained to me line by line.

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Chonky Lilo
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People don't like hearing the truth, or are just very entitled.

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Jimmy Roberts
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would send them a penny taped to the bill with a penny stamp on the envelope with no outside return address.

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Roger Bird
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I fainted at the gym. I awoke very soon after fainting and I heard that some gym employee had called for an ambulance. I said "not on my watch" and forced myself up, and alerted my wife that we were leaving. She drove us home, and we saved $900 at least. This would be not counting the hospital absurdity. People: The health care profession will stop fleecing you when you stop worshipping doctors and start being your own doctor.

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Sinchana
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow, and I used to cuss about how I lost 50$ for the dengue treatment.!!!!

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Breanna Hurkmans
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know what angers me more - our healthcare system as a whole, or being forced to pay for medical things you didn't even ask for

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Nicky Harrison
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I fainted at work, in a hospital in the UK and they didn't check me over, but let me have a quick break before I carried on my shift!

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Id row
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I woke up to my house on fire, had to jump out a second story window, severely sprained my foot and ankle trying to kick in my front door with bare feet and I was wild. But I had the presence of mind that when the ambulance showed up and tried to treat me I told them to gtf away from me. They kept trying to get me on a gurney and I had to yell at them to get away from me because I didn't want a bill like this in addition to my life going up in smoke. I'm surprised they haven't found a way to bill you just for showing up even if you didn't call them.

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Viviane Katz
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My jaw dropped. Similar situation for me, someone called the ambulance, I was encouraged to go to the hospital, got liquids via IV, a brain scan. I'm in Canada. I think I paid for the ambulance. If so, it certainly didn't cost enough for me to remember it.

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Uchman
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My friend had almost the same experience 20 years ago. He was visiting, went to the gym and probably overdid his workout, fainted briefly. An ambulance was called, they checked him over, advised him to take some fluid and rest. Next week, a bill for $750 arrived at his uncle's address he was staying at. I guess he got off easy

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Alican Gürkan
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And i had a heart attack after i see the bill. I cpr’ed myself but hospital charged me for using their floor while cpr.

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Tiny Dynamine
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I really would say to them "Go and F yourself" then walk away.

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Devlynn
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I went to the hospital in an ambulance (cost 3,000) then went to the hospital and that cost 2 grand

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Lexie Brindle
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Patients have a right to refuse treatment. I wish healthcare made this more known. Technically, you can tell them to stop and walk out at any time during "treatment". They legally can't force you into anything you don't want

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Pineapple Queen
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This happened to my mom but even worse, because she was forced to stay the night. Also, my mom is somewhat Hypoglycemia, so this had happened many times before. She blatantly told the workers she didn’t need to go to the hospital, and when she was discharged, her doctor said to her “You could’ve been out of here ages ago.” And if I remember correctly, she had like 3 MRIs done. I don’t know exactly how much it cost in the end, but I do know that she was charged for the ambulance ride after the worker in the ambulance told her it would be free. She had requested she just get a ride from a friend instead of the ambulance because she literally works a block from the hospital.

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Bradley Roon
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't agree to go to the hospital, duh. You were stupid enough to almost die from heat prostration - could've cracked your skull in falling, probably didn't dehydrate... Your choice to not go into the ER. You choose, you lose. It's called the Patient's Bill of Rights...

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Jozef Duhacek
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

this is way worse then if you got robbed / mugged on the street. In europe there are companies which track car accidents and make people sign papers while they are not functioning right and then charge them a lot of money for their services. But not this much, this is insane. And the insanity is on the level that this happened with a hospital.

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Kevin Camp
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4 years ago

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This is really a symptom of being dumb, you didn't eat or drink and it was hot. You probably should pay.

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#6

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Daniela-Iulia Balaciu
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4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If people have an word to say in that country, they have to change sòmething. It's very wrong. How it came to this situation I cannot imagine. The life itself has the rating below money.

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The harsh reality is that healthcare is incredibly expensive in the United States, and plenty of people always wonder: “Why?” Investopedia explains that healthcare in the US is “about twice as expensive as it is in any other developed country.” However, despite the cost, the US healthcare system is only the 37th in quality, according to the World Health Organization.

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#8

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Sterrinatu
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hear ya. My bill for a UTI was $6,000. They didn't even diagnose me. I walked and told them what was wrong what antibiotic I needed. What am I paying $6,000 for?

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#9

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Iris Engler
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How is it that a human life obviously has no value in this nation? How can America ever be "great" again, as long as this madness continues?

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Harvard economist David Cutler told Investopedia that the main reason why US healthcare costs are sky-high is this: “The administrative costs of running our healthcare system are astronomical. About one-quarter of healthcare cost is associated with administration, which is far higher than in any other country.”

#10

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Liza C
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Had smth similar with a family member , 30.000 out of pocket , insurance ended up refunding us 7 thousand back after months of fighting, but that's insane

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#12

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What’s more, the cost of medical drugs in the United States is far higher than in other developed countries. Meanwhile, American doctors are afraid of litigation, so they practice what’s called ‘defensive medicine’ — they order lots of different tests even when they know what the diagnosis is.

#13

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Suzi Gauthier
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fight all bills. They know some people will just give up. I fought & they paid it. It may not work 100% of the time, but something like this definitely. Also, take the complaint to Facebook.

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#15

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Daniela-Iulia Balaciu
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Aren"t the ER acțions/operation free of change? Or ER is considered as privat hospitals? You are not paying taxes in that country, to have state hospitals? Just wondering... anyway, strange medical system.

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What do you think of the US healthcare system, dear Pandas? Have you ever had any massive medical bills? Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments.

#16

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Vesna
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The rule of thumb is that the docs HAVE to make sure you are stable, then the bill comes. This one sounds outrageous ........

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#17

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Vex Boxx
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The ambulances in the US are insane. I have flat out refused to get into one when necessary because I couldn't afford the bill. Asked my friend to take me to the hospital from the Urgent Care instead of the ambulance they had "called" for me. Luckily, she is no stranger to the US Healthcare Mafia.

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#18

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Gabi X.
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had to pay €600, just to hear: oh you're not making eye contact with me, you're autistic. I was severely depressed and felt ashamed back then.

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#19

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Mia Cardenas
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pharmaceuticals are big business and could care less if your life is at risk because you cannot afford medications. Cost very little to make these treatments compared to the bill you get. They justify this on the bases of "research". This is another vile industry just like insurance. No compassion

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#20

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Andres Tejeda
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Didn't you know there is a $900 speaking fee, plus $75 eye contact fee. Then another $25 just for walking in the door?

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#22

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Doober
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sadly, if his best friend was married in a community property state, like California, their spouse would inherit and be responsible for that 2 million dollar debt. Really awful stuff.

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#23

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KT Trondsen
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That doesn't sound right. EHS crews will always take you to the closest hospital in a life threatening emergency

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#24

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Daniela-Iulia Balaciu
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do you have to make a credit to afford a child? Or paying rates after the birth? That country is not right.

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#25

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Venic
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Going out-of-network without patient consent and later slamming them with the bill when insurance won't field it is a practice commonly called "balance billing" or "surprise billing". Some states have been taking measures against this. I expect I probably can't paste links, but there are a lot of various initiatives around the US to get laws passed to prevent this. Look for your state and the phrase "balance billing", and if yours has no protections in place, I strongly advise you help petition your lawmakers to rectify it.

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#26

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Daniela-Iulia Balaciu
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's a sick country. I am not reffering to peoples' health, but the medical system is sick.

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#27

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LOttawa
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Who the hell has a $60k credit card??!? and will you be my friend...

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#28

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Mark Kelly
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4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My bro was rear ended here in Canada and had no bills and even received almost 10 grand

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#29

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Andres Tejeda
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm mean did the doctor make eye contact? that's already a$ 75 charge just for that.

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#30

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comboplush
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At this point, I do believe they just declare how many digits the bill should include and let a random number generator do the rest.

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Note: this post originally had 64 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.