You Know You’re Not In America When…

Ian just informed me that he got a bill from the health insurance company.  Apparently his recent operation and hospital stay weren’t paid for by the insurance because he has a deductible.  I immediately thought that it was unfortunate that he’s got the lower plan instead of the higher one that the children and I have and that maybe our reasonably-priced insurance wasn’t so reasonable after all.  He has one of the lowest coverage options because he knows that he’s very unlikely to go to the various voodoo doctors that I favor.

Anyway, I cringed and braced myself for the damage.  The amount?  €146.97.  That’s the entire cost of the laproscopic hernia operation and anesthesiologist (it was a general anesthetic), prep time in the hospital beforehand and about four hours in a bed afterwards.

It makes the €550 that my midwife billed for pre- and post-natal care and Lukie’s birth seem downright expensive.

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1 Response to You Know You’re Not In America When…

  1. Bas Scheffers says:

    My friend’s visit to a German ER to get his broken thumb seen to: 30 euros. My bill to see a GP in the US plus a mono test: $350. (paid for by travel insurance – don’t leave home without it)

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