Health -   

1

Florida hospital bills dead woman's estate $9.2 million

Medical
Medical

View Larger Image

A A |  Email ThisEmail  | PrintComments (15) Facebook   

Date: Wednesday Jul. 27, 2011 10:34 AM ET

TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa General Hospital has filed a $9.2 million claim against the estate of a woman who died after spending five years in the hospital, according to Hillsborough County court documents.

In court documents, that's how much the hospital says is owed for the care of Tameka Campbell. She died at age 29 two years ago of progressive demyelinating neuropathy, which occurs when the immune cells attack the body's nerves.

It is unclear whether the $9.2 million in hospital charges is a record. Health News Florida checked with the American Hospital Association,the Health Care Financial Management Association, and numerous others. No one knew anyone who keeps track.

"That would have to be the biggest bill I've heard of," said Alan Levine, a division president at the Naples-based hospital chain Health Management Associates.

"I've seen more than $1 million," he said. "But not $9 million."

Fort Myers hospital consultant Peter Young said, "A bill that large may well be in a league of its own and a Guinness Book of Records bill!"

Could be. An online search at the Guinness World Records offers no category for "largest hospital bill."

A spokeswoman for Guinness World Records said the organization will have to do a search to see if there's a related category for such an item.

Meanwhile, consultant Young said, without knowing any details, that the case is unusual. Hospital officials must believe there are resources against which a claim can be made, he said.

There aren't, said Campbell's mother Holly Bennett.

"If they think they're getting money from me they're crazy," she said. "Who's ever even heard of a bill that high?"

Bennett thinks the lawsuit is punitive, to prevent her from filing a wrongful-death lawsuit against the hospital.

"They're trying to make me go away," she said. "They're trying to cover up for the mistreatment of my daughter."

Bennett has a YouTube channel with videos that accuse the hospital of not feeding Campbell and of giving her too much morphine. The combination caused Campbell to drop to 37 pounds, Bennett says.

The videos show a young woman, presumably Tameka, lying in a hospital bed hooked up to tubes, including what appears to be a feeding tube.

Tampa General spokesman John Dunn said he can't comment on patient cases.

The hospital never sent an actual bill for its charges, Bennett said. Instead it filed the list of charges on its claim against the estate.

Guardianship records at the Hillsborough County Courthouse show that the court removed Bennett as her daughter's health-care surrogate and appointed a professional guardian. It is unclear from the documents why Bennett was removed.

The lawyer representing Tampa General said he could not comment. Bennett does not have a lawyer.

But if she acquires one and pushes forward with a wrongful death suit, the parties will either haggle and settle out-of-court or a jury and judgment would decide how much money goes to the mother, the estate or the hospital, said South Florida lawyer John Kelner.

Barry Dubinsky, a medical malpractice lawyer in Coral Springs, said hospitals frequently file claims against the estate of a patient who has died and has unpaid bills.

"Technically, you have to file in case the estate gets funded, then you've got your hand in the pot," he said of Tampa General. "It's business, it's all business. The hospital is just trying to get their money."

Comments are now closed for this story

Bob in Chatham
said
0 0

It's no wonder that the US is going down the drain !If the lady was suffering from a terminal illness the hospital should have found some other form of care for her. Hospitals are for acute care not long term residency.


Nicole
said
0 0

to margaret johnson The fact is that under Obamacare no terminally ill patient will receive 5 years of palliative care in a top notch state of the art hospital that would lead to such an astronomical bill. The tight budgets and the underlying fact that this unfortunate young woman will "die anyway" will lead the bureaucrats to decide her fate much earlier. You may have heard of them although most people use the quaint term "death panels". Rationed care is going to be the hallmark of Obamacare.


Don from Ottawa
said
0 0

@ C.Love, your medical bill might have been $6, but rest assured that the REAL bill to taxpayers was considerably more. You're welcome.


Prof. Pye Chartt
said
0 0

@ CON Artists: I've got news for you... Canada's universal healthcare system is failing, and, unless MORE private-sector involvement takes place (much already does), it's going to crash by demanding tax revenues that represent an economic stranglehold. This isn't the biased assessment of "conservative ideologists," this marks the UNBIASED assessment of both economists and healthcare experts versed in the dynamics of our fiscal requirements, resource expenditures, and demographic circumstances. Kindly pull that head out of the sand, and stay informed. Thanks.


Doug ^^^ BC
said
0 0

To "C.Love",As long as you are not abusing the system,this taxpayer says "you're welcome.". I expect the other taxpayers who picked up your tab will feel the same way. But this woman spent 5 YEARS in hospital.That is extremely expensive no matter where you live or what hospital you are in.Canadians just don't know how expensive,because they don't see the bills. Perhaps a real health care worker can provide the numbers.But the REAL cost of being in hospital here is not cheap either.I would be quite shocked if it was much less than $700 - $800 per day,and one of the major reasons our health care system needs updating.The escalation of costs is simply not sustainable. NO! I am not advocating for an American health care system.Just a sustainable system that treats us all relatively equally,is more difficult to abuse,and that we will be able to pay for without having to send the bills our children and grand children. It's not FREE my friends.And it absolutely costs more than $6 to hospitalize someone for 3 days. Be grateful for what we have.But be prepared to make some changes,or we won't have it forever.


Cambob in Toronto
said
0 0

undoubtably there will be a wave of posts here praising our health care system and I want to agree 100%. But our health care is not free. I hope everyone remembers that the billions we spend on health care are our taxes. Please don't weigh down the great system we have with minor issues and frivilous hospital visits. And most of all, take care of yourselves!


margaret johnson
said
0 0

and the Republicans in the USA want to get rid of the health care bill that Pres Obama has put into law.it amazes me every day!


James in Calgary
said
0 0

I am so lucky to be a Canadian and to be living here!


Kathy
said
0 0

That's insane. No one should be billed that much for staying in the hospital. Other options should be discussed way before the patient dies for one thing, and also costs should be monitored as they go along, instead of all at once! I think it is incredibly tacky and inhumane to send a bill to the family after their daughter has passed away. First of all, who could pay such an exorbitant amount unless they were a billionaire and in that case they could hire their own physician. Just another reason why they need a proper Health Care system in the States. As it is, people are just taking advantage of the sick. I think it's bad enough when hospitals force people to pay for parking when visiting their loved one in the hospital and when going to medical appointments, let alone this. I had a family member in over Christmas and I couldn't believe the business as usual attitude. You'd think people could get free parking on Christmas day! Anyway, it seems to me that this whole situation was handled extremely poorly by both the hospital and likely the family as well. I doubt it's one-sided. However, no one should be billed for $9 million. Also, why are people so excited it's a record? That's pretty callous as well.


CON Artists
said
0 0

They are charging her $5000 a night..... This may be a wake-up call for supporters of conservative ideologists who want to establish a privately run health care in Canada.


Ryan, Guelph
said
0 0

Our daughter was born 6 weeks premature, and with a rate of $8000/day in the special care nursery, if we would have been in the US we would have paid over $200000 for the 3.5 weeks our daughter needed to stay there until she learned to eat. Thank goodness we live in Canada! I couldn't have paid that much... it would have been like having a second mortgage. $9.2 million is unfathomable... Cases like this should wake up US citizens to the fact that privatized healthcare borders on being criminal...


spaz
said
0 0

Have heard of people having to declare bankrupsy when their medical expenses excede their resourses.Probably why Canada is the country of choice for imigrants. The first one makes it in, and then applies for "family reunification" then we get to pay for the medical care of the entire bunch.......and you were wondering why your taxes were so high ??


Evan in Athabasca
said
0 0

Anybody knows that when a person goes to a hospital they will loose a few pounds... anything for a penny these days. I "Searched" the net on neuropathy and found a complication is:"Loss of tissue mass" why should she get a penny?


Mike Bieling
said
0 0

That's what we need in Canada, too - the freedom to pay our medical bills ourselves.


C.Love
said
0 0

Amazing that us Canadians still complain about our healthcare system. I spent 3 days in the hospital after my surgery and my bill was six dollars simply because i used the phone.


Share with your social Network:

Facebook DIGG Newsvine Delicious Twitter StumbeUpon Reddit Yahoo! Buzz

 

Advertisement

Contest

Today's Health Stories

The B.C. government is pledging $8-million in funding to improve school playgrounds. Sept. 2, 2011. (CTV)

Canadian kids get failing grade for play time

More    Comments  

Versha Prakash talks to Canada AM about the Trillium Gift of Life Network donor record, Monday, May 28, 2012.

Ontario organ donor agency sets new 1-day record

More   10 Comments 10    1 Video(s) 1

The labels of three Maalox products sold in Canada: Maalox Multi-Action, Maalox Regular Strength, and Maalox Extra-Strength

Supplies of Maalox dwindling across Canada

More