GoFundMe for a friend in a serious accident

[Cole436]

Hey CP,

I know GoFundMe's aren't the most popular thing here, but a friend of mine was in a serious accident a few days ago while he, his wife and their 3 year old were visiting LA.

He's currently in the ICU at LAC and we're not sure if he's going to pull through. He's an exceptional human being and a lot of us are struggling to come to terms with this. A gofundme has been set up for his family to pay for his medical bills, and I'm sharing this here with the hope that CP can help as well.

The link is below.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/sandeep-a...al-relief-fund

[Hemi-Cuda]

First thought looking at the thread title was "Why would a Canadian need a GoFundMe for medical bills?", then I read where it happened and it made sense. Sad to hear, really hope your buddy pulls through. It's just so ridiculous that the richest country in the world has to resort to a crowd funded heathcare system

[Flamenspiel]

It says they were visiting LA, healthcare does not cover tourists, even in Canada. I gather they unfortunately did not have out of country insurance.

[Scornfire]

The saddest part is I doubt 30k will even scratch an extended ICU stay

[Hockeyguy15]

Sounds more like it's for costs for family at this point. I would assume they had travel insurance and it would cover a lot of his medical if not all of it.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Flamenspiel

It says they were visiting LA, healthcare does not cover tourists, even in Canada.

It's always important to have external insurance when travelling, but even then, insurance companies will delay and fight paying any time they can find even a small reason to.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Scornfire

The saddest part is I doubt 30k will even scratch an extended ICU stay

In Canada that is around two days of ICU care (depending on the injury/treatments), the cost in the states is known to be higher due to the lack of a single payer system and inflated prices as a result. My guess that is sadly around a day's worth of treatment.

Hopefully he has some insurance through his work/employment.

[dre]

I’m sorry to hear that Cole436


For the posters wondering about insurance. I would think vehicle liability insurance would cover the cost?

[DoubleF]

Not trying to soap box or anything, but is there seriously completely no travel insurance on your friend?

Even if somehow they don't have a plan via work or they didn't purchase it, did they book with a credit card that has travel insurance built in as a perk of the card If the card does have it, I think the family could take a huge sigh of relief.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

In Canada that is around two days of ICU care (depending on the injury/treatments), the cost in the states is known to be higher due to the lack of a single payer system and inflated prices as a result. My guess that is sadly around a day's worth of treatment.

Hopefully he has some insurance through his work/employment.

That sounds high. This(warning, excel link - table 13):


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...xMM5LwD280w12J


Says about $3500 a day in 2014.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

That sounds high. This(warning, excel link - table 13):


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...xMM5LwD280w12J


Says about $3500 a day in 2014.

I would be interested to see how they came up with that number - the cost of ICU nursing staff alone is around $1000/day. Add in any doctors fee schedule, surgery costs/OR time, the cost of intubation&ventilation, medications, diagnostic imaging costs, and amortization of equipment.

https://www.researchgate.net/publica...al_ventilation

This seems like a much closer number than the CIHI number which is astoundingly low to me.

[BigBrodieFan]

Hi Cole, sending well wishes and a speedy recovery to your friend, and warm thoughts to you and his family.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

I would be interested to see how they came up with that number - the cost of ICU nursing staff alone is around $1000/day. Add in any doctors fee schedule, surgery costs/OR time, the cost of intubation&ventilation, medications, diagnostic imaging costs, and amortization of equipment.

https://www.researchgate.net/publica...al_ventilation

This seems like a much closer number than the CIHI number which is astoundingly low to me.

I dunno, I just know I was told about $2500 a day in 2010. Now, I don't think that includes DI and medications, nor ventilation. I'm not sure how nursing gets to $1000 alone, as it would be 2 or 3 shifts, but each nurse gets 2 or 3 beds from what I remember. So the cost of one nurse over 24 hours can't be $1000, unless they make a lot more than I imagine.


Reading your link, I see this as the takeway, but maybe I'm missing the larger number you are seeing?:


"Adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics, the mean incremental cost of mechanical ventilation in intensive care unit patients was 1,522 dollars per day"


Sorry, totally off topic now...

[Enoch Root]

At least here, it's one nurse per bed in ICU. At roughly $50/hr, that's $1,200/d. If it's $40/h in the US, that's $1G/d

Sorry to derail, best wishes to your friend.

[rain_e]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

That sounds high. This(warning, excel link - table 13):


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...xMM5LwD280w12J


Says about $3500 a day in 2014.

My wife got an xray and splint in Vegas this summer. I saw that insurance bill and it was $6950.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I dunno, I just know I was told about $2500 a day in 2010. Now, I don't think that includes DI and medications, nor ventilation. I'm not sure how nursing gets to $1000 alone, as it would be 2 or 3 shifts, but each nurse gets 2 or 3 beds from what I remember. So the cost of one nurse over 24 hours can't be $1000, unless they make a lot more than I imagine.


Reading your link, I see this as the takeway, but maybe I'm missing the larger number you are seeing?:


"Adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics, the mean incremental cost of mechanical ventilation in intensive care unit patients was 1,522 dollars per day"


Sorry, totally off topic now...

Totally off topic I agree, but it goes to show the costs associated with health care. The last numbers I was told from a medical director at a major tertiary care hospital was around $12,000 per day.

Nurses make around 40-45 per hour on average, with an ICU patient having 1-1 nursing care. So for $43/hour, over 24 hours it is $1032 - then there are charge nurses and managers as well.

Add in the physicians fee schedule, respiratory therapists, physiotherapists, social worker, cleaning staff, service aids and the like and the costs for staffing alone would be greater than most people would imagine. Now a lot of those costs are divided among a number of patients, but they still cost a significant amount. I just can not see how the costs wouldn't be higher - especially when everything medical costs twice as much.

[Minnie]

I just read the update that he passed away. I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend, who clearly meant so much to a lot of people.

[Cole436]

Originally Posted by Minnie

I just read the update that he passed away. I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend, who clearly meant so much to a lot of people.

Thanks to everyone for the support.

Sandeep passed away peacefully last night surrounded by his family. He’s survived by his wife and their 3 year old son. He meant a lot to many, many people.

[SportsJunky]

Oh man, that's terrible. Sorry for your loss.