Medical bills are the bane of everyone's existence.
As the economy continues to plummet into the ground, it's dragging our medical system with it. Everyone deserves to be healthy, but when people are neck-deep in debt just because they sat in an ambulance, it's no wonder that people are finding alternative methods to deal with an emergency. Some have gone as far as treating themselves just because they can't risk another unreasonable expense slapped onto their tab.
Recently, Bernie Sanders tweeted this question: "What’s the most absurd medical bill you have ever received?"
Here are some of the responses. Warning: this article will contain some heartbreaking content, but this is the harsh reality of the system...
1. "She died thirty minutes after birth..."
@BernieSanders $10K to pay for our daughter's neonatal care one year after the fact. She died thirty minutes after… https://t.co/Zm6GvroAJM— didderbops (@didderbops)1568518854.0
2. "A diving accident."
@BernieSanders In 1991, at age 21, I broke my neck in a diving accident. $1.2 million for eight months in hospital.… https://t.co/Y1l2TG6mcm— Troy - 🌹✊🏼🌻 Here comes the "find out" part... (@Troy - 🌹✊🏼🌻 Here comes the "find out" part...)1568555081.0
3. "9,000 dollars an hour."
@BernieSanders Attempted to charge me $600 to remove stitches. I did it myself in 4 minutes. That’s $9000/hr.— Paddy- Mayor of Russia (@Paddy- Mayor of Russia)1568677840.0
4. "I was declared okay..."
@BernieSanders It was hot. I hadn't eaten. I fainted. Ambulance shows up, they pull me in there with a/c blasting… https://t.co/DkLbf97Hh9— Vince Nicholas (@Vince Nicholas)1568681554.0
5. "Total: 103, 569.45."
@BernieSanders https://t.co/8yGgCZ1PWi— Becca 🐾🌲👣🌎 (@Becca 🐾🌲👣🌎)1568508351.0
6. "Where to even start..."
@BernieSanders Where to even start... I got billed $3k a YEAR after my son was born because the insurance company… https://t.co/SUdzX4SmwP— Conz Preti (@Conz Preti)1568647967.0
7. "...the doctors not knowing what was causing the pain."
$16,000 for all the work done related to a kidney stone It involved me sitting in a room, drugged up, and the doct… https://t.co/SDKALmPCyr— Tim Pool (@Tim Pool)1568558399.0
8. "They gave me eggs... which I was allergic to."
@BernieSanders $11k bill for an allergy attack that I already treated with epinephrine before getting to the hospit… https://t.co/qJzhBJHyNw— Benjamin Shapero (@Benjamin Shapero)1568506773.0
9. "I should have been grieving..."
@BernieSanders $35k+ for an ectopic pregnancy. No ins. Have surgery or die when it ruptures. Made my X take me ho… https://t.co/XkLIH2nLUL— ANTIFA is good, dummy (@ANTIFA is good, dummy)1568627775.0
10. "My abuser set my house on fire..."
@BernieSanders $8000 ER visit after my abuser set my house on fire.— Lily Bell (@Lily Bell)1568603606.0
11. "That's more than what we paid for our house..."
Let me know, who has 480,000 dollars just lying around?12. "Everyone deserves the opportunity..."
@BernieSanders $35,000 for addiction treatment. Out of pocket. It's the best money I ever spent, but quality addict… https://t.co/MM34lLKdpR— This ain't no Disco 🆘️ (@This ain't no Disco 🆘️)1568506994.0
13. "1,400 dollars for a band-aid..."
@BernieSanders $1,400 for a fucking bandaid was billed as part of the final bill total was over 40k— Drunk $Sooty83 (@Drunk $Sooty83)1568659289.0
14. "Obamacare, thank God!"
@BernieSanders I would’ve paid anything for my son to be born healthy. But just did not expect that. 1st bill was $… https://t.co/4hi3KbDiCV— Texan (@Texan)1568511631.0
15. "...'have a nice day.'"
@BernieSanders $12,000 for less than 1 hour in the ER. Lower back strain. The doc touched my back for all of 3 se… https://t.co/sJUDXK6gOd— JE Cooper (@JE Cooper)1568512818.0
16. "...die a needless death."
@BernieSanders My daughter, Shalynne's, $350k medical bill to die a needless death. Treating her and saving her lif… https://t.co/HazI3p39WA— Amy Vilela (@Amy Vilela)1568563539.0
17. "Chemotherapy bills."
Imagine not being able to attend an appointment just because you couldn't afford to? So what are you supposed to do? Just sit at home with cancer?18. "Every bill is a reminder of losing my baby girl..."
@BernieSanders The bill for the loss of our pregnancy at 17 1/2 weeks. Ins. paid all but 2000, the ambulance was a… https://t.co/5y9NE3y7z7— ~ Valerie ~ 🌹🔥 (@~ Valerie ~ 🌹🔥)1568511035.0
19. "Are you gonna kill yourself?"
The only thing that probably did for her mental health is make it worse.20. "He choked, became unconscious, and died."
@BernieSanders $20,000 after my baby Anthony died at Tarzana Medical Center which was 15 minutes farther than the h… https://t.co/cme2gq4yDe— Amy Sterling Casil (@Amy Sterling Casil)1568509261.0
21. "They fought over my unresponsive body..."
@BernieSanders I lost consciousness and my in-laws called 911. The 2 area EMTs arrived with 2 separate ambulances a… https://t.co/0wl0TL6ecq— Darcys34 (@Darcys34)1568657888.0
22. "Yeah, your nose is broken."
I bet she could have told herself that.23. "What should I do?"
The best advice someone could give is: "Just try and pay ten dollars a month."24. "2 million dollars..."
@BernieSanders When my best friend died 2 weeks after his 30th birthday, he had a bill of over 2 million dollars.— Sleepy Josh 🏳️🌈 🍀⌛✊ (@Sleepy Josh 🏳️🌈 🍀⌛✊)1568509067.0
25. "An 'excellent' insurance."
@BernieSanders $115k for an emergency c-section to save mine and my son’s lives. Luckily we have “excellent” insura… https://t.co/VfAimFLLu6— Margaret Wilson (@Margaret Wilson)1568603466.0
26. "Out of network anesthesia."
@BernieSanders $1600 for out of network anesthesia. Everything was supposed to be covered, and he used out of network anesthesiologist.— Kuato Lives (@Kuato Lives)1568508475.0
27. "I'm terrified..."
@BernieSanders I spend approximately $5000 every year between me and my two sons. This is for normal stuff. Check-… https://t.co/kH7vstXP86— Barfsack Ocrumbo 🌹 (@Barfsack Ocrumbo 🌹)1568615675.0
28. "A long visit..."
@BernieSanders Wife just got $80 bill for “long visit”. She was literally there for 5 minutes.— Red Dad ☭ (@Red Dad ☭)1568654254.0
29. "I could name more than one..."
Reading this one really broke my heart. Imagine being so much debt that you have to file for bankruptcy?30. "Can't pick..."
@BernieSanders I can't pick just one, but the total is pretty absurd. https://t.co/MyDM7KWhUd— LaDawn Stuben (@LaDawn Stuben)1568507200.0