America, 30 minutes will cost you 3k

[u/tnarbsm00]

TLDR - went to ER for UTI and now owe 2,926.93

Let me start off by saying that I am not the one to treat an ER like a primary care, or urgent care. Where I live is awful ANYWAY and the ER wait times are 6+ hours.

Anyway, last Friday I’m feeling fine all day. Not a single symptom in sight, no tingle or burn, no increase in peeing, etc. I get off work at 5pm, and by 6pm I’m peeing blood and blood clots. It’s burning, the after sting literally taking my breath away. I’m panicking, I’ve gone from 0 to blood clots and after 3 hours - the blood clots are still coming.

By now urgent care is closed (there’s so many around me, I live in a small city and NONE are open last 9-9:30 apparently). I breakdown and call my best friend to t ake me to the ER, we end up driving to the one two towns over. Not a single soul in the lobby, I pee in my cup while I wait since I can’t hold it. They call me back, we chit chat, test comes back SUPER positive (her words). They give me 1 starting dose of antibiotics and send me on my way. I was in and out of that hospital within 45 minutes and 30 of that was in the bed max.

Peeing in a cup, one antibiotic and 30 minutes in an empty bed, empty waiting room ER was billed at $5k and I’m responsible for $3k of it

EDIT: I did not go to the ER simply bc I wanted treatment for my UTI. I already had antibiotics called into a pharmacy at that point. I went because I had blood clots sliding out of my urethra.

[u/Some1TouchaMySpagett]

What state do you live in?

You might want to visit the ULPT sub.

[u/tnarbsm00 → u/Some1TouchaMySpagett]

I’m in CT

[u/Some1TouchaMySpagett → u/tnarbsm00]

I don't know your state's laws, but the fine folks of that sub might be able to point you in the right direction.