Uninsured Aurora Victim Faces Up To $2 Million In Medical Bills

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/1048778/uninsured_aurora_victim_faces_up_to_%242_million_in_medical_bills/

Caleb Medley was shot in the eye in the Aurora movie theater shooting and remains in the intensive care unit in an induced coma. Medley sustained the terrible injuries only days before his wife Katie was due to give birth to a baby boy they plan to name Hugo. She now joins him in the same hospital — just one floor away — where she was set to be induced.

But even if Caleb makes a full recovery and meets his son, what happened late Friday evening at the movie theater could ruin the young family’s finances. Caleb doesn’t have health insurance, and his medical bills could amount to $2 million, according to his family.

Longtime friend Michael West has created a website to raise money for Caleb, who has been an aspiring stand-up comedian since the eighth grade. “He needs to get better because he needs to be a dad,” West said.

According to the website, Caleb performed in Denver’s biggest stand-up contest at the Comedy Works on July 18, advancing to the next round. The next night, Caleb and Katie decided to treat themselves to the midnight movie before the couple “officially” became parents.

[2on2u]

1. Let the NRA pay them. n/t

[joeybee12]

2. Not to be snarky, but Caleb Medley is a great name for a comedian...

That said, he's in the type of career where he can't get or afford medical insurance because of the temporary and intermittent nature of his work...I sure hope his wife has coverage somehow.

[Cronkite]

3. Not to get the thread off topic BUT this demonstrates what is wrong with health care in this country

2,000,000.00?

Does that seem high to anyone else? I don't know the extent of his injuries but it would be interesting to see how the medical corporations cost their services.

First of all the victim had no price discovery before consenting to services. Another issue is the fact that the victim "agreed" to services under extreme duress which in any other contract would void it.

I have seen medical bills before and the medical corporations flat out SCREW customers. I have seen 50 dollar charges for pillows, 10 dollars for a tylonal pill, yada yada yada.

[customerserviceguy]

4. If you're not in some network

that arranges low prices for its members, you always get quoted at the full bore rate. The only thing sold with a wider array of prices for the same damn services than medical is airline seats.

[WolverineDG]

5. Does Colorado not have Crime Victims' Compensation?

If so, that's what will pay his medical bills.

http://www.crimevictimcompensation.org/what_can_CVC_pay.htm

ok, up to $15K, but I doubt the hospital wants the publicity relations nightmare of making his family pay $2 million. And if the bean counters do, I hope all holy hell drops on their heads.....