Todd Fassler from San Diego just wanted to take a selfie but ended up in the hospital for several days and was billed with a massive amount of money for treatments and other medical services. This is because the selfie attempt he made included a venomous rattlesnake that bit Todd during the early part of July 2015.
After a few days in the hospital, he was able to avail and use up medical treatments and services worth more than $153,000 in total. The billing statement included a section for the pharmacy services, which amounted to more than $83,000. A copy of the statement of account was sent by Fassler to Dan Haggerty of KGTV, who subsequently posted it on Twitter.
"The only effective treatment is antivenom," Dr. Keith Boesen, director of the Arizona Poison & Drug Information Center, told CBS News. Blood tests are performed to determine the effect of the antivenom to the patient. Some services in the hospital can be negotiated but most of the procedures and drugs are necessary so patients need to avail them.
Antivenom is manufactured by only one company and because of this, there is the inevitable limited supply of the drug, making it very expensive for snake bite sufferers. CroFab, the one and only medicine that is used to counteract the fatal effects of venom, should be administered to patients in multiple doses depending on the extent of the snake bite. Some patients need three doses while others require dozens to be able to completely rid the venom out of the body. For Fassler, earlier reports revealed that he used up all the stocks of two medical facilities. Aside from the sky-high prices of drugs, snake bite victims should undergo extensive emergency room services, be confined in the intensive care unit for several days and in some cases, undergo rehabilitation programs to restore the function of the affected part of the body.
Snake bites first manifest as a small wound but the area will gradually swell and the affected tissues will soon present apparent changes. Venom contains properties that inhibit the process of blood clotting resulting in impaired bleeding tendencies and obvious bruises. Ultimately, venom can put the affected body part under permanent and severe damages.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), deaths due to snake bites are uncommon; however, individuals who are severely allergic to snake venom may be at risk of death. In the US, 7,000-8,000 people each year are estimated to acquire bites from venomous snakes and fatality is noted in about five each year. If medical care and attention is not rendered to snake bite victims, these numbers may further rise.
Photo: Daniel Orth | Flickr
