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Bay Area couple shocked by $200K hospital bill for rabies shots

abc7news.com

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Re: Bay Area couple shocked by $200K hospital bill for rabies shots

#2
I encountered a bat many years ago acting erratically inside the house. It had evidently entered in my sleep.

I looked up the cost, and found out the household would be bankrupted by the shots and we would end up homeless. I calculated the danger from homelessness outweighed the risk of rabies. I guess the bet paid off, as we're now well past the 99th percentile of incubation period.

Re: Bay Area couple shocked by $200K hospital bill for rabies shots

#7
post #3

What happens if you refuse to pay?

https://news.gallup.com/poll/317948/fear-bankruptcy-due-majo...

https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/16/americans-medical-de...

https://www.retireguide.com/retirement-planning/risks/medica...

Re: Bay Area couple shocked by $200K hospital bill for rabies shots

#8

I encountered a bat many years ago acting erratically inside the house. It had evidently entered in my sleep. I looked up the cost, and found out the household would be bankrupted by the shots and we would end up homeless. I calculated the danger from homelessness outweighed the risk of rabies. I guess the bet paid off, as we're now well past the 99th percentile of incubation period.

Can you get rabies still, theoretically, from this event?

Re: Bay Area couple shocked by $200K hospital bill for rabies shots

#9

I encountered a bat many years ago acting erratically inside the house. It had evidently entered in my sleep. I looked up the cost, and found out the household would be bankrupted by the shots and we would end up homeless. I calculated the danger from homelessness outweighed the risk of rabies. I guess the bet paid off, as we're now well past the 99th percentile of incubation period.

Seems pretty remote chance to get rabies without being bit, but did you read the last paragraph?

"The Aguilars wound up paying $3,546.64 out of pocket. The insurance company told us Wednesday that they "are reaching out to NorthBay Healthcare... to address these excessive charges.""

The shot normally costs ~$600 USD. There is no way the insurance in the end will pay the $54k the hospital tried to get away with.

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