Bitten by a Snake, Visited ER and Received a '400 Million Won Bill'... After Negotiation, Agreed to Pay 25 Million Won

Bitten by a Snake and Visited the ER, Then Faced a '400 Million Won Bill'
After Negotiations with the Hospital, Agreed to Pay 25 Million Won

A 2-year-old child treated after being bitten by a rattlesnake in San Diego, USA.
[Photo by Instagram(@dr.linsay.pfeffer)]

A 2-year-old child in the United States was bitten by a rattlesnake and taken to the emergency room, only to receive a bill amounting to 400 million won.

On the 31st (local time), The Washington Post reported, "Last April, Brigland Pepper (2), who lives in San Diego, was bitten by a rattlesnake while playing with siblings in the backyard."

Pepper’s mother, who found Pepper bitten by the snake, immediately called 911, and Pepper was promptly transported by ambulance. When Pepper arrived at Hospital A, his hand was swollen and had turned purple. The medical staff had difficulty inserting an intravenous line and after several attempts, administered the antivenom treatment ‘Anavip’ via intraosseous injection.

Afterwards, Pepper was transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit at Hospital B, where he received additional Anavip treatment, and fortunately, the swelling gradually subsided. Pepper’s condition improved, and he was discharged two days later. In an interview with CBS8, Pepper’s mother said, "We all thought the child was going to die. We were really lucky," expressing joy that the child survived.

Shocked by 400 Million Won Bill... Agreed to Pay 25 Million Won After Negotiation

A 2-year-old child treated after being bitten by a rattlesnake in San Diego, USA.
[Photo by Instagram(@dr.linsay.pfeffer)]

However, the problem was the bill sent by the hospital. The bill showed medical expenses of $297,461 (approximately 410 million won). This included two ambulance rides, emergency room visits, and pediatric intensive care costs. The antivenom cost was especially high; The New York Post reported, "Pepper was given 30 vials of Anavip, and Hospital A and the pediatric ICU at Hospital B charged $9,574 (about 13.17 million won) and $5,875 (about 8.08 million won) per vial, respectively."

Faced with this astronomical amount, Pepper’s insurer, Sharp Health Plan, attempted to negotiate to reduce the antivenom cost by tens of thousands of dollars, and eventually most of the costs were covered by insurance. Nevertheless, Pepper’s family had to pay the maximum out-of-pocket amount of $7,200 (about 9.93 million won) and was reportedly required to pay an additional $11,300 (about 15.55 million won).

Regarding this, The Washington Post advised, "If you receive an astronomical medical bill from a U.S. hospital, it is wise to prepare for negotiation," adding, "Hospitals and other healthcare providers are aware that the amounts they charge are high and are willing to accept lower amounts."

Meanwhile, as of 2022, the annual healthcare expenditure in the United States was $4.5 trillion, with healthcare costs accounting for 17% of GDP. This is the highest level in the world.