(1046) Too expensive to be old

There is this couple who are my husband's family friends. The husband is 90 years old. He found a high prostrate reading in a government hospital annual blood test. Since the waiting list for any scan is a mile long in all government facilities, he opted to go to a private hospital. The first visit costs him more than a thousand dollars(M). The second day he was admitted because they wanted to make sure he fasted so they could get a clear picture in the scanning the next day. It was very sad that after fasting the machine was down. They kept him another night and some form of doctor-nurse miscommunication led him to eat when he should not. In fact, the wife who stayed with him loyally told him not to eat, he happily thought that it was ok to eat. Hence he was moved from 8 am slot for MRI to 3 pm. Last update, the progressive bill is M$12,500. At that point, none of the findings explain the high reading.

Note that after many tests, they know that he has a growth in the Adrenal gland. The latest test was a bone scan. At this rate, the couple seriously need to think about selling their main house which may fetch M$4.6 to 6.0 millions. They have been very healthy all their lives, so they did not consider buying health insurance until they were past 70, which was too late -- it would be exorbitant to purchase any form of health insurance at that age bracket.

Health care cost is jumping sky high in this country. Next to education, hospitals and care for the aged are good fields to invest in. But heaven helps one who is old and sick and has no money to burn.