When I went over to help Patti shower this morning I got to see the $94,000 hospital bill for her foot surgery - all because of a simple fall hiking!  Notice that the bill does NOT include the surgeon's or anesthesiologist's fees...or her resulting stay in the hospital for the pneumonia.  Thus the total tab for her little adventure will continue to rise (plus there will also be a lot of physical therapy down the line) to even more appalling heights. 

At least they are 'only' going to have to shell out about $3000 for this bill. Which is exactly why I put my foot down - firmly! - those times when Tom and Alex, griping about their medical insurance premiums, threatened to chance going without insurance.