I can't imagine something like this happening in Northern Va. Geez! 55K for a snake bite treatment???

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Snake Bite Victim Gets $55K Hospital Bill
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Snake-Bite-Victim-Gets-55K-Hospital-Bill-218891991.html

A former EMT pulled over along George Washington Parkway for a breath of fresh air was bitten by a copperhead snake -- and then slapped with a $55,000 hospital bill.

Jules Weiss stopped by an overlook for a breather when she felt a strange sensation.

"It felt like a bad bee sting," Weiss said. "I got to my car, turned on the light and there were two fang marks with liquid coming out."

Within an hour, her foot started to balloon, turning a "grayish" color. Weiss made her way to an emergency room in Bethesda, Md. where she stayed for more than 18 hours -- getting three IV bags of anti-venom into her foot.

As if the experience wasn't scarring enough, Weiss received a hospital bill for nearly $55,000.

"I kind of went numb... I don't know if there's a way to process that," Weiss said.

While insurance can bring treatment cost down to a few hundred dollars, Weiss' insurance had just lapsed. Anti-venom is made through a lengthy process of milking many snakes, making treatment pricey. It even reached $780,000 for one woman's cure.

According to officials at the Bethesda hospital Weiss went to, it can cost them $40,000 or more to obtain anti-venom. Many hospitals have financial counselors that can help with payment plans -- contact your social services agency for more information.

Go here to watch the video:
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Snake-Bite-Victim-Gets-55K-Hospital-Bill-218891991.html

I would have sucked that venom out for her :)

All hospitals have charity care programs especially for E/R visits. What you have to watch is outfits like Suburban Credit trying to collect the bills-they add on almost double.

Her insurance should cover most of it. It was an acutal emergency. This is why insurance companies suck.

Let me guess, 'Ridiculous' went to FCPS.

She doesn't have insurance. Go back to your turf dreams, auntie Sharon and auntie Tammy will come tuck you in later.

Can you tuck me in later?

A good reason to stop working and go on welfare. The bill would have been fully paid by the taxpayers.

Pulled over for a breath of fresh air? My ass. Roll the fricking window down for fresh air.

HOW DANGEROUS ARE COPPERHEAD SNAKES?

copperhead snake

Picture provided by Gordon Rutzen, Wake County. This snake was transported to a non-habited area and released without harm to either the snake or the humans.

A Copperhead snake bite needs medical attention, is extremely painful, and may cause extensive scarring and loss of use. Many people are bitten while trying to kill or handle the snake. Don't take chances -- avoid these snakes.
"Copperhead bites are typically not fatal," says Dr. Peter Bromley, N. C. Cooperative Extension Specialist in Zoology. Small animals, like small dogs, may receive a fatal bite from a copperhead. The venom causes local tissue destruction and secondary infection often sets in. If you or your pet are bitten by any snake that you suspect is venomous, get medial attention immediately. For the most part, if you let snakes alone, they'll leave you alone.
North Carolina has the dubious distinction of the most venomous snake bites of any state in the U.S. Many of these bites could be prevented by avoiding the snake instead of trying to kill it or pick it up. Avoid Copperhead snakes! Allow it to go on its way undisturbed. Copperheads bite more people in most years than any other U.S. species, but they also have the mildest venom. University of Georgia Professor Dr. Whit Gibbons is conducting research to learn why copperheads inflict the most bites.

All the snake species tested have had the same initial response to human presence. If given the opportunity, they escape--down a hole, under a ledge, or in the case of cottonmouths, into the water. Escape is even the standard behavior of enormous diamondback rattlesnakes, which will immediately disappear if they have enough warning before they think a person can reach them.

But often escape is not possible, so most snakes hold their ground, ready to defend themselves. A difference between copperheads and the other species appears in the next phase, when they are approached. Most rattlesnakes vibrate their tails and most cottonmouths sit with mouth open when a human comes near. Even some non-venomous snakes vibrate their tails. These displays are merely warnings not to tread on them. They are not aggressive attack measures. The snakes just want us to leave them alone.

So far, the dozens of cottonmouths Dr. Gibbons stood beside have made threat displays but have not bitten the researcher's boot. The same has been true for canebrake rattlesnakes although too few have been tested to declare that they are as passive as cottonmouths. The exciting news (at least for the researchers) is that the copperhead is different from the others. Most copperheads tested have struck out immediately when they felt threatened.

This behavior explains why more people receive legitimate snakebites from copperheads than from any other species of venomous snake in North America. Still to be investigated is another aspect of copperhead bites: many are not serious enough to require more than minor medical treatment. This may be so not only because the venom of a copperhead is significantly less potent than that of rattlesnakes or cottonmouths, but also because they seldom inject much venom.


The copperhead's initial threat display is to strike. It lashes out at an enemy as a warning. If the enemy is close enough, the fangs may penetrate the skin. However, because this is a threat display, not an attempt to kill, the snake injects little venom. A copperhead has no intention of wasting valuable venom if it can scare away the menace with a minor bite.

Keep in mind, however, that even a non-fatal bite needs medical attention, is extremely painful, and may cause extensive scarring and loss of use. Don't take chances-- avoid these snakes.


Whit Gibbons is the Senior Professor of Ecology at the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory in Aiken, South Carolina




She should have took some aspirin. Always carry an extra clip, believe it or not a snake is hard to hit....don't believe that cowboy movie shit.
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She took the chance of not paying for health insurance. She is now paying the price.

It's very simple, everyone should have health insurance.

Why should this surprise anyone? The "health care" industry is corrupt to the bone. It has one goal only and that's to take advantage of every victim that they can, to financially plunder everything they have.

There are still some real medial professionals out there but you won't find one that takes insurance or works at a hospital.

I blame the snake.
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BWHAHAHAHA, looks like she is a a admin puke on Capitol Hill, prob cancelled her insurance hoping for OBAMACARE, hahaha, how's that working out princess LOL. Have fun with the bills LOL

Beekers Keeper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BWHAHAHAHA, looks like she is a a admin puke on
> Capitol Hill, prob cancelled her insurance hoping
> for OBAMACARE, hahaha, how's that working out
> princess LOL. Have fun with the bills LOL


Her bill has been paid for already, thanks for playing.

trjyyj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Beekers Keeper Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > BWHAHAHAHA, looks like she is a a admin puke on
> > Capitol Hill, prob cancelled her insurance
> hoping
> > for OBAMACARE, hahaha, how's that working out
> > princess LOL. Have fun with the bills LOL
>
>
> Her bill has been paid for already, thanks for
> playing.


Bill was probably covered because she's somewhat attractive.