I've been in four different hospitals here in NZ and I have to say that Rotorua Ward 4 is definetely the worst.

I will have a difficult time not going on a rant about the state of healthcare in the U.S.

That being said, my debt is zero by the grace of God.

My insurance refused to pay for my first hospitalization and a benefactor stepped up and paid over $20,000.00.

Her request for repayment?

Anytime I can help someone else, do so.

I try every day to live up to that repayment.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=204&ObjectID=10375084

This is about Michael Boddis who nearly killed his mum under the care of Rotorua's mental health hospital.

I knew Michael personally. He was a really nice person.

About two years prior to him attacking his mother. My social worker told me that his pdoc thought he would kill his mother one day. Rotorua Hospital had been looking after him for over 20 years. His mother tried everything to get him out of the hospital after his dad (now dead) committed him after they both had a row.

I believe that it was his treatment and drugs that caused him to do what he did.

Michael died 3 days after the attack. The hospital staff tried to say he died of natural causes which is a load of bullshit.

I visited his mum in hospital not long after the attack. Doctors thought they could save her sight, however she ended up losing both eyes.

About a week later another patient died after an ex-patient visited the hospital and threw her into a wall.

On another occasion a woman sneaked out of the hospital and walked into thermal mud pools which are just across from the hospital. She too died.

Approx' 9 years ago another woman died after being given an overdose of Haliperidol. I too was given an overdose of Haliperidol and needed two antidotes. I had lockjaw and I couldn't stop my chin from pointing to the ceiling. It was Michael's mum who told staff that I was overdosed. Staff didn't seem to care. I had to write down what was happening to me because I couldn't speak. I was practically parilysed.

I believe that I was raped by staff whilst in isolation and heavily drugged.

I would say that Ward $, Rotorua is the worst of all.

You will need to cut and past the addy.

I am not trying to be mean but what does this have to do with hospital debt?

This is just the opposite. I went inand my bill was $36,000 and the ins only covered $30,000 sothe hospital billed me for $6,00. After a year of payments I was okay. Then I was talking to Medicare and they said i shouldnt have had to pay that the way their systemworked. So I sent the hospital aletter saying that (this is a fucking HUGE hospital and medical school) and they sent me back a check for $6,000.

When my husband died the bill was $100,116.00. I paid $116 bec we had two insurance butonly by three days.

Nick, I don't think people in other countries understand the term "debt" in relation to medical care, so that may be the confusion.

Most of the folks from other countries have the cost of their healthcare deducted from their paychecks by the government. It isn't insurance, just the fee to cover costs for everyone.

Hope this helps.

We don't pay for Mental Health here in NZ.

In the U.S., we pay for most everything...insurance to pay hospital IF you can get insurance.

It is a completely different system, and is very expensive. People spend hundreds of dollars each month just on their medications.

It is terrible, but it won't be changed anytime soon. Our economy is in such bad shape, to change it now would make the economy collapse completely.

I have about 30 k in hospital debt. But I also have 13 admits in years.

seven years sorry

I never thought this post was about finances. I thought it was more about the treatment. Oops must have been wrong?

All in all, over the years, I've paid $63K between hospitals and doctors.

Just paid $1000 this year. The cost of the room was $1730 per DAY.

Never ever going back. It is an absolute scam/rip off.

$100,000+

I have other medical issues on top of the bipolar.

i wont win this one by any means but i paid every dime of mine in payments and was going to school to boot when i did.

Total cost would have been about 7,000-10,000 dollars i have the bill somewhere here that i paid.. Note this was only the stay not all the docs i saw ither, i owed one like 500.00 and another an unknown amount. I think i saw like 4 while i was there. Thankfully due to having insurance. Thought i didnt turns out luckily i did.... It dropped it down to like 3,000 or so for the stay and i dont know how much in other bills such as pills etc i had..
So yeah it was just fun trying to plan how was going to pay it back.. Wont ever go there again unless i have to.
It wasnt a good place. The nurse didnt change her gloves after taking blood went from patient to patient. i noticed it and i made a complaint. On top of that the cleaning staff never ever cleaned the tables well enough there was a huge epidemic of colds / flus. They would go from the garbage to the tables.. ICK!!!