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Trauma case files

 
Published March 9, 2014

traumatic fees

Orange Park Medical Center

Clay County

For-profit, HCA

A 13-year-old boy went to the hospital after a car accident. He was diagnosed with a superficial wound on his forehead and sent home two hours later. His actual medical treatment was priced at $6,871. But Orange Park billed an additional $21,000 for the trauma reponse fee.

$28,592

Total charges

$21,721

Trauma fee

Orlando Regional Medical Center

Orange County

Private, not-for-profit

An uninsured 36-year-old man got cut in an assault. His medical care, including skull X-rays and immunizations, added up to $1,860 for a two-hour hospital visit. But the trauma fee quadrupled his total bill.

$8,230

Total charges

$6,370

Trauma fee

UF Health Shands Hospital

Alachua County

Private, not-for-profit

After a car accident, a 54-year-old man went to the trauma center complaining of lower back and joint pain. Five hours later, he went home with $1,561 in charges for medical care. But that made up only 14 percent of his bill. The other 86 percent? Just his trauma fee.

$11,396

Total charges

$9,835

Trauma fee

Blake Medical Center

Manatee County

For-profit, HCA

A 68-year-old man fell from a ladder, scraping his arm and foot and cutting his hand. He spent three hours in the hospital and had his bill more than doubled by a $29,000 fee for trauma team activation.

$52,137

Total charges

$29,000

Trauma fee

Broward Health Medical Center

Broward County

Public, not-for-profit

A 7-year-old boy injured his head playing sports. He was taken to a trauma center, but records show no procedures were done to him. In fact, he would have had just $544 in ER fees were it not for the trauma response fee that inflated his bill more than 10-fold.

$5,442

Total charges

$4,898

Trauma fee

Lawnwood Regional Medical Center

St. Lucie County

For-profit, HCA

After getting cut in an assault, a 51-year-old man went to the hospital with a superficial wound in his shoulder blade area. Treated and released in an hour, his trauma fee inflated his bill more than six-fold.

$39,289

Total charges

$32,767

Trauma fee

Delray Medical Center

Palm Beach County

For-profit, Tenet

A 15-year-old boy burned his fingers, knee and leg. He spent two hours in the hospital, where he was given non-prescription drugs that cost $11. The stay itself would have cost $1,856 were it not for a trauma fee that made up 87 percent of his bill.

$14,356

Total charges

$12,500

Trauma fee

Lakeland Regional Medical Center

Polk County

Private, not-for-profit

After an assault, a 25-year-old man with superficial wounds on his face and hand got stitched up and sent home in three hours. The medical charges added up to $3,255. He racked up a $10,000 cover charge, however, the moment he entered the trauma hospital.

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$13,255

Total charges

$10,000

Trauma fee

St. Mary's Medical Center

Palm Beach County

For-profit, Tenet

A 66-year-old woman broke her ankle after being hit by a car. She spent three hours in the hospital, where she got X-rays, lab work, a tetanus shot and a splint. All of that would have added up to $5,221 were it not for a trauma fee that nearly quadrupled her bill.

$20,221

Total charges

$15,000

Trauma fee

Source: Florida Agency for Health Care Administration