Shocking TikTok video shows US patient charged nearly $3m for months-long hospital stay with Covid

A shocking video on TikTok shows how a patient has apparently been charged nearly £3 million for a four month stay in a US hospital, during which they were battling Covid-19.

The clip, shared by TikTok account @letstalkaboutbusiness, starts with a text overlay reading, “4 months in a USA hospital with Covid-19 total cost.” The user, who identifies as “Al” in their bio, then goes onto reveal the itemized list of charges they’re facing as a result of their stay.

Panning over the document, the video slowly reveals the egregious expenses: one intensive care unit stay costed $325,000 (£233,449) while the “intermediate” ICU costed $405,000. Physical therapy and “pharmacy” were $108,000 and $100,000, respectively, and “drugs/detail code,” which, based off our research, refers to drugs administered by injection, amounted to a whopping $193,000 (£138,632).

The most costly item of all was “respiratory therapy,” likely referring to ventilator treatments, which came to a colossal $550,000— or £395,067. Altogether, the whole hospital stay totaled to $2,850,776 —or £2,047,726 — nearly 3 million in either currency.

“Honestly this should be a commercial for insurance,” the clip creator quipped in a comment.

An itemized breakdown of the hospital charges.Photo Credit: letstalkaboutbusiness/TikTok.

TikTok users are appropriately appalled by the outrageous price of healthcare.

“Wait people pay money for essential care,” one (clearly not from the U.S.) asked. “America is truly a 3rd world country in a Gucci belt,” another said, attaching a face palm emoji. “USA is not a country. It’s a Business,” a third added.

“Why do people think that one of the richest countries in the world can’t afford universal healthcare,” a curious TikToker queried. “The rest of the modern world laughs at the US healthcare scam,” one viewer observed, while another wisely suggested, “U should just come join us in Canada.”

“At that point just pull the plug,” an especially pessimistic commenter teased (we hope).

Photo Credit: letstalkaboutbusiness/TikTok.

Several other commenters were quick to point out that the document clearly said, “this is not a bill,” and thus was likely the total before insurance. However, that’s assuming everyone has insurance. Fortunately, “Al” does seem to have some form of it.

“I’ll update everyone soon the cost after insurance in the next post,” they followed up via comment, to which critics replied he would be paying significantly less out of pocket.

Either way, “significantly less” than 3 million is…still a lot, especially compared to other countries where healthcare is genuinely universal, and therefore, free. Alas!

Next, let’s do a TikTok an itemized breakdown of college tuition. Such fun.