Hospital Fees

So Michael James and Larry MacDonald both commented last week about Hospital and Medical clinics and their User Fees, and I was exposed to those and a few other interesting charges as well.

Last weekend, I spent hours at the Emergency room at CHEO (Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario) with my daughter. She had twisted her knee in a way that made it appear to bend sideways, and I wanted to make sure that her health was not in danger. The visit was long, and I was exposed to several respiratory illnesses while we were there. However, I was surprised when an additional charge came up during the visit.

Yes, I had to pay for parking, which wasn’t cheap ($13 for 5 hours). However, the interesting charge was the cost of having to buy crutches for my daughter (whether we need these crutches remains to be seen). The crutches cost $30, and I had to pay with direct withdrawal or cash (no credit cards). The no credit cards part seemed quite odd, given not many people I know wander around with $30 cash in their wallets, but the fact that the Crutches only cost $30 was interesting.

The last time I had to use crutches, it wasn’t too expensive (I was running fast and accidentally stepped into a gopher hole, almost breaking my ankle). However, I am wondering if these aluminum crutches are subsidized in any way. I may be able to claim them on my insurance, so I am not too concerned about the cost. I’m simply curious if there are any subsidies available for crutches, or if they are just inexpensive to produce. Does anyone have any information on this?

Whether any of the odd bacteria/viruses I was exposed to take hold in my body, remains to be seen.