Hospital slaps COVID-19 survivor with GHC 6.5 million bill after 62 days of admission

- Michael Flor was admitted at Swedish Medical Center in Issaquah on March 4 after he was diagnosed with COVID-19

- He was taken to the intensive care unit after he suffered multiple organ failure to the extent his family was called on the phone to say goodbye

- Flor was discharged on May 5 and allowed to go home but a few days later he was served with GHC 6.5 million bill from the hospital

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A man in the United States who almost died of organ failure following his admission in hospital after he was diagnosed with COVID-19 has been slapped with GHC 6.5 million bill for medical expenses.

Michael Flor, 70, was admitted in March 4 after he was diagnosed with the killer disease at a hospital in the northwestern city of Seattle.

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According to a report by Seattle Times, Flor was released from Swedish Medical Center in Issaquah on May 5 and allowed to go home before he was served with a 181-page bill explaining his charges.

“I opened it and said ‘holy [bleep]!“ said Flor.

Among other costs included in the bill was GHC 56,450.90 per day for the intensive care room and due to the contagious nature of the virus, the room was sealed and could only be entered by medical workers wearing plastic suits and headgear.

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Nearly GHC 2,371,448.00 was for the transformation of the room into a sterile room for 42 days and GHC 475,619.00 for the use of a ventilator for 29 days.

For the two days when his heart, kidneys and lungs were all failing and he was nearing death, the bill ran for 20 pages with a total of about GHC 580,024 as doctors tried all means to save his life.

“I feel guilty about surviving...there’s a sense of ‘why me?’ Why did I deserve all this? Looking at the incredible cost of it all definitely adds to that survivor’s guilt,” said Flor.

At one point, Flor's health condition deteriorated greatly that the doctors had to hold up the phone so his wife and children could say goodbye.

Flor is covered by Medicare, a government insurance programme for the elderly, and therefore did not have to take out his wallet, according to the Times.

Meanwhile, a section of Ghanaians has been reacting to the president's order for churches to operate for only one hour in each session as a measure to help contain COVID-19 spread.

This was during a market survey that was conducted by YEN TV to gather views on how Ghanaians think the measure would help them or otherwise.

Although there have been people supporting the president's order that one hour is enough to have a church service, most people have been reacting in the negative.

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Source: YEN.com.gh