In 2004, my family & I recently moved to Silver Springs Florida and bought a home here. I got the flu and developed stomach pains & nausea, so not knowing any doctors in the area, I went to the Munroe Regional Medical Center hospital in Silver Springs. I didn't have insurance at the time, but since I was going for a minor problem, I thought it was the same as going to a clinic and the most it could possibly cost would be about $150.

When a nurse & doctor came in to see me, I told them I had been vomiting and needed something for nausea and had stomach cramps. I told them I needed an antibiotic or something to treat my apparent stomach virus / flu. They insisted on hooking me up to an IV. I told them I didn't want an IV, but they gave me an IV anyway. They wanted to run unnecessary tests and after they gave me a shot of something for the nausea which really knocked me out, I told them I wanted to be released. They did not give me any antibiotics to treat my stomach condition.

The next day, I went to a clinic and the doctor there gave me a prescription for antibiotics which helped me get well. The charge for that visit was $75.00 and I received my money's worth.

In a few weeks, I received the shock of my life – a high bill from the Munroe Regional Medical Center hospital for $1,290.25.  I was and am still astonished and outraged. A few days ago, I received a bill from the attending doctor's company, Magnolia Emergency Physicians of Philadelphia, PA for $428. which again prompted me to be in disbelief, shock and outrage I had NO IDEA that I would be charged such an outrageous sum of money, of which the only benefit I received was a shot for nausea. The total of these two bills add up to $1,718.25. I don't have nor do most people have $1,718.25. to waste.

I feel that the doctors charge is especially outrageous, considering the duration of time he spent with me was just a few minutes and that he ordered a IV and unnecessary tests including an x-ray after I informed him I did not have insurance and did not want an IV.

I honestly believed that the most my bill would be is about $150. total for my non emergency visit to hospital and thought it was the same as going to a clinic. If I had known the costs could have been over $200., there's NO WAY I would have EVER gone to Munroe Regional Medical Center.

I feel that I am being penalized and victimized due to being uninformed of the penitential costs and that the hospital should inform people who do not have insurance how expensive their non emergency treatment could be. In almost any other financial transaction I can think of, a customer is told how much a service will cost in advance and given the opportunity to decline services if the cost is too high. Not being informed about the high costs of a non emergency visit to a hospital is precisely why I fell victim and something has got to be done to keep what happened to me from happening to other people.

I spoke with a lady in the billing department from Munroe Regional Medical Center about this matter and she indicated that she receives calls from people like me who was unaware of the hospitals high billing charges every day. She further stated that years ago, they did inform people about the costs, but more recent legislation or rules now forbid them from disclosing this to patents. If this is true, this is WRONG and needs to be corrected by legislation.

I don't have to $1,718.25. to waste on services in which I have received almost nothing in return and for services and tests I did not want. These charges are excessive and disproportionate for treatment of a flu / virus non emergency. I received better treatment from a clinic which charged me $75. I am being penalized and victimized for my belief that the charges would be reasonable and for being uninformed of the potential costs. Going Munroe Regional Medical Center is one of the most costly and aggravating mistakes I've ever made