Do you have any Coupons?

First off I want to say thank you for the kinds words about our accident, everyone is recovered now and things are finally back to normal, again thank you.



Have you ever wondered what the patient is going to be charged for those great therapy's we provide for them?

Well I have wondered that, and were I currently work the night shift RT does all respiratory charges for the day on the patients. I did a little digging and found a area in our computer system that allows me to see exactly what it costs the patient for their different therapys they have received, pretty interesting and a little fun to see how much people are up to on their bills for the stay they are currently in.

So anyways here is what I have found for prices with respiratory therapy services here at my little hospital. Also keep in mind that some of these items I am told are package deals where more than one piece of equipment is included in the cost, what a bargain right...but I will try and distinguish which ones they are. Each of the prices I am showing are only a single charge unless I state otherwise. So like a room will be per night.

First I will start with the room charges, yea I know this isn't really a RT charge but hell compare this to a hotel room and WOW, more bang for the buck in a hotel room in my opinion. No package deal here, just the room cost.

Standard Floor Room: $826.00
Intensive Care Room: $1960.00

Next I will do some standard medication prices, not to back actually but can add up.

Albuterol for Neb: $7.40
Atrovent for Neb: $7.80
Xopenex for Neb: $10.25
Mucomyst for Neb: $7.75
Advair 500/50: $348.40 This would be a full Diskus
Flovent MDI: $256.30 Full MDI

Now I will do the Respiratory Therapy service prices, somehow I think we should get a bigger cut from this, but don't we always want more pay.

Initial nebulizer treatment, includes equipment and our service: $77.25
Subsequent nebulizer treatment: $57.25
Initial nebulizer with Ezpap treatment: $295.50
Subsequent nebulizer with Ezpap treatment x 10 mins: $85.75

At my hospital we change nebs out everyday, so a QID neb orders each day would be charged for the Initial and 3 Subsequent prices. I think we change out to often but that infection control's thing.

Initial MDI treatment: $49.50
Subsequent MDI treatments: $34.25

I think that is just for services, seems pretty steep for me.

Here are our Oxygen prices, now I couldn't find prices for different O2 Equipment like cannula's and masks so I don't know about them, I'm guessing they are included in something.

Oxygen per hour: $17.25
24hr of Oxygen: $414.00
Bubble Humidifier: $11.75
Pulse oximeter check: $35.50 This is just us going in an recording a Sat!

Now lets get to some ventilator and bipap charges, this can definitly add up.

Initial Ventilator day: $1576.50
Subsequent Ventilator day: Exact Same as above

Suposedly this included all equipment, checks, oxygen, nice package deal.

Bipap per day: $167.50
Mask: $131.75
Tubing: $37.75
Headgear: $75.50
24 Hours of Bipap: $945.50

Some reason we charge for that headgear, but it comes in the same package with the mask. Someone is getting over I think.

Now just some other miscelleanous stuff:

ABG: $190.75
EKG: $195.00
Ambu Bag: $140.50
CO2 Detector: $116.25


Now just for fun lets see what a QID Albuterol and Atrovent neb would be:

Inital Neb Tx: $77.25
3 Subsequent Tx's: $57.25 x 4 = $229.00
4 Albuterols: $7.40 x 4 = $29.60
4 Atrovents: $7.80 x 4 = $31.20

Grand total of: $367.05

Yep thats our daily price for QID Albuterol and Atrovent nebs. Not even sure if we charge a sales tax or anything, I don't think so but you never know.

Well there you have it, our pricing scheme, I'm sure it' probably pretty close to most hospitals, I though it was just interesting to see.

Any of you know some of your prices it would but fun to compare prices with types and sizes of hospitals, could be interesting. I'm damn glad I have decent insurance because hospital costs can really add up. There is probably a good possibility that prices become inflated from patients with no insurance and us taxpayers cover the cost.

Just my opinion but I think if you don't have insurance and you come to the ER with something that could be taken care of at a clinic, you should have to pay something, even just $10, might make people think twice. There are too many people who take advantage of the ER and if you charge them these people might have to make a decision beween their cigarettes and beer or how bad there stuffy nose really is. You know these types and I know I'm not the only one who thinks like this.

Anyway take care everyone and thanks for reading.

Drive on RT's.