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That is, a very sad... albeit all too typical story.

Here are a couple of examples of the OTHER ways things can go.. that might cheer you up.

My own Mother-in-Law lived with us for many year. She developed breast cancer, but kept it a secret until it was far too late. She worked for near minimum wage and had NO insurance... so, we took here to “Free” hospital at our local university. She usually had to wait, sometimes an hour or more... to see her doctors. But, when she got to the Dr., they were fantastic for her. Many times, she saw the same Drs my wife had seen when she had the same issues.. (with insurance).

They KNEW she had no insurance... (or Medicare, at first) but, they operated on her, gave her good medications... and enrolled her is a special drug trial. The drug worked, she lived about 5 years (much longer than they originally thought).

Eventually, she qualified for medicare...but, that didn’t change the quality of her treatment. She ran up close to $60K in medical bills... the drug company offering the trial paid 70%, the hospital allowed her to pay $120 per month for the rest, then waived it when she died.

Earlier this year... I had a giant gallstone that got stuck in my gall bladder and had severe pain that required removal. I was diagnosed (via ulta-sound) in 36 hours... had to wait 3 days to get to a surgeon (it was Easter weekend)... The surgeon first saw me at 10:30 am.. by 11:15, I was in a hospital bed getting IV pain meds.

At ~ 4:30, my surgeon came into my room and PRAYED with my wife and I... then, removed my gall bladder. I was back in my room recovering by 5:30. I went home the next morning at 9 am.

TOTAL COST??? for EVERYTHING?? About $16k. MY COST? $2400, the maximum cap on my high deductible insurance policy that goes with my HSA. ALL my money was paid from my HSA account (my own pre-tax contributions + employer contributions)... Net money out of my household budget? ZERO!

You know what that saintly surgeon’s fee was?? $895.
I was shocked. The anesthetist was paid more... ($990).

The hospital was the MOST expensive part, by far... but, seriously.. for what was done for me? It seemed reasonable. And, with my HSA, it was economically manageable.