The Family Incurs Hefty Expense of Over $297,000 for Toddler's Snakebite Treatment
A family from California experienced a financially draining ordeal when their toddler, Brigland, encountered a venomous rattlesnake in their backyard. Although the boy was successfully treated using antivenom medication, the initial bill for this life-saving treatment totaled an astounding $297,461. This incident once again highlights how hospitals can inflate the cost of relatively inexpensive procedures.
The harrowing details of this financial predicament were reported last week by KFF Health News, as part of its regular project with NPR to draw attention to exorbitant medical bills. According to KFF, the 2-year-old Brigland was playing with his siblings when a small rattlesnake bit his right hand. By the time an ambulance arrived to transport him to Palomar Medical Center Escondido, his hand had already turned purple and swollen. Although doctors initially encountered difficulties administering the standard snakebite treatment, they eventually managed to deliver the antivenom drug, Anavip, and Brigland made a swift recovery, being discharged from the hospital within a few days.
Unfortunately, this was just the beginning of the Pfeffers' troubles, as they were faced with a bill totaling $297,461. The bill covered two ambulance rides, an emergency room visit, and Brigland's stay in pediatric intensive care, but the main cost involved the antivenom, amounting to $213,278. Despite the extensive nature of snakebite treatment, requiring multiple doses of antivenom to ensure the patient's recovery, the actual cost of manufacturing these drugs does not explain the sheer magnitude of the Pfeffers' bill.
Stacie Dusetzina, a health policy professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, who reviewed the bills at KFF's request, described the charges as "eye-popping." According to her, the actual cost of producing a vial of antivenom is $14, with $9 of it going towards manufacturing. However, the majority of the cost is attributed to hospitals inflating the price, which generates revenue for them while also helping to balance overhead costs elsewhere, according to KFF.
As a result, antivenom pricing is highly complicated, with the list price being significantly higher than what hospitals pay and varying considerably between hospitals. For instance, the family was charged $9,574 per vial for ten vials at the first hospital, while the second hospital charged them $5,876 per vial for twenty vials. Compared to this, Medicare and hospitals typically pay around $2,000 per vial, Dusetzina pointed out.
Fortunately, Brigland's insurer managed to negotiate down most of the costs associated with his antivenom treatment. However, the family still had to pay the maximum out-of-pocket ceiling of their insurance plan, which was $7,200, as well as other bills not covered by their insurance, such as one of the ambulances used to transport Brigland to the hospital. Brigland's mother, Lindsay Pfeffer, also revealed they received a letter in the summer informing them they still owe an additional $11,300 to cover his care. Despite the lingering nerve damage and scar tissue affecting the dexterity of Brigland's right thumb, he has managed to recover well and has since become left-handed.
“He’s very, very lucky,” Pfeffer told KFF.
Given the complex pricing of antivenom treatment, advancements in technology and science could potentially lead to more affordable alternatives in the future. Moreover, advocating for increased transparency in healthcare costs can help families like the Pfeffers navigate the system better and avoid shocking bills in the health sector.
