The Cost Of An Average COVID Hospitalization Costs 150 Times Higher For Medicare Than That Of Fully Inoculating One Beneficiary
Nikki Attkisson | Last Updated : September 13, 2021The cost of Hospitalization of a Medicare beneficiary is 150 times higher than the cost of fully vaccinating that person, reports a survey.
The Cost Of An Average COVID Hospitalization Costs 150 Times Higher For Medicare Than That Of Fully Inoculating One Beneficiary
An American resident does not directly pay for COVID 19 vaccination. Medicare bears the cost. It reimburses up to $150 to healthcare professionals for fully inoculating an individual with either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine doses. The analysis comes in the wake of the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published its billing documents recently. This is $40 for one dose and $35 for administering the same in a person’s home.
In the meantime, a 9-day stay in hospital due to COVID 19 for a Medicare beneficiary will cost up to $21,752. If the person is ventilated, the expenses rise to an average of $49,441. This is the cost of staying in a hospital for 17 days. And it comes up to almost 300 times higher than the cost of fully vaccinating someone.
The number of hospitalizations in the US is skyrocketing. This, according to health officials, is the result of the surge the Delta variant caused. In the month of June and July, the country saw over 100000 hospitalizations. The unfortunate thing is that almost all of them were avoidable. A large number of those hospitalized were unvaccinated.
If we imagine that every hospitalization costs $20000, according to a study, it will come up to $2000000000. This is going to be a financial burden that is going to crush the healthcare mechanisms. Vaccination still remains the only way out.
The country needs to ensure that every single eligible person receives their two-dose shot against COVID 19.
According to the US Health and Human Services, 102,000 people are hospitalized with Coronavirus all over the country.
CDC says that almost 53% of the eligible population of the country is vaccinated. 27%, however, has not even received the first dose of a vaccine. Despite the surge of infections, the rate of vaccination is slowing down. The weekly average has reduced 19% from that of last week and 30% from the previous month. Health officials attribute this decrease to Labor Day.
Health professionals also point out other respiratory infections we are living with. What differentiates them from the Delta variant is that they don’t cost us the number of lives we are seeing because of COVID 19.
Treatment at home for COVID 19
If infected with COVID 19, a vast majority of people suffer only mild symptoms. They go on their own within a few days. In seven days, people start feeling better. See to that you rest as much as possible. Stay hydrated. You may use over-the-counter pain medication to get relief from pain and other discomforts. But the elderly and those suffering from other pre-existing health issues may need medical intervention. COVID 19 may make them seriously ill.
Go by the recommendations from your doctor. The professional will guide you in the matters of isolation and caring for your loved ones. Don’t hesitate to ask questions. Help your loved ones in isolation in the matters of shopping and other things.
Remember, your health too deserves utmost importance. If you are an older adult or under treatment for any other medical condition, isolate yourself. Entrust the responsibility with someone else.
Be alert to the warning signs. And call your doctor if required. Watch out for the following symptoms:
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain that refuses to go away
- Blue color on your face and lips
- Confusion
- Fatigue
See to it that you are using a pulse oximeter. The device helps you measure the amount of oxygen in the blood.
The cost of Hospitalization of a Medicare beneficiary is 150 times higher than the cost of fully vaccinating that person, reports a survey.
An American resident does not directly pay for COVID 19 vaccination. Medicare bears the cost. It reimburses up to $150 to healthcare professionals for fully inoculating an individual with either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine doses. The analysis comes in the wake of the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published its billing documents recently. This is $40 for one dose and $35 for administering the same in a person’s home.
In the meantime, a 9-day stay in hospital due to COVID 19 for a Medicare beneficiary will cost up to $21,752. If the person is ventilated, the expenses rise to an average of $49,441. This is the cost of staying in a hospital for 17 days. And it comes up to almost 300 times higher than the cost of fully vaccinating someone.
The number of hospitalizations in the US is skyrocketing. This, according to health officials, is the result of the surge the Delta variant caused. In the month of June and July, the country saw over 100000 hospitalizations. The unfortunate thing is that almost all of them were avoidable. A large number of those hospitalized were unvaccinated.
If we imagine that every hospitalization costs $20000, according to a study, it will come up to $2000000000. This is going to be a financial burden that is going to crush the healthcare mechanisms. Vaccination still remains the only way out.
The country needs to ensure that every single eligible person receives their two-dose shot against COVID 19.
According to the US Health and Human Services, 102,000 people are hospitalized with Coronavirus all over the country.
CDC says that almost 53% of the eligible population of the country is vaccinated. 27%, however, has not even received the first dose of a vaccine. Despite the surge of infections, the rate of vaccination is slowing down. The weekly average has reduced 19% from that of last week and 30% from the previous month. Health officials attribute this decrease to Labor Day.
Health professionals also point out other respiratory infections we are living with. What differentiates them from the Delta variant is that they don’t cost us the number of lives we are seeing because of COVID 19.
Treatment at home for COVID 19
If infected with COVID 19, a vast majority of people suffer only mild symptoms. They go on their own within a few days. In seven days, people start feeling better. See to that you rest as much as possible. Stay hydrated. You may use over-the-counter pain medication to get relief from pain and other discomforts. But the elderly and those suffering from other pre-existing health issues may need medical intervention. COVID 19 may make them seriously ill.
Go by the recommendations from your doctor. The professional will guide you in the matters of isolation and caring for your loved ones. Don’t hesitate to ask questions. Help your loved ones in isolation in the matters of shopping and other things.
Remember, your health too deserves utmost importance. If you are an older adult or under treatment for any other medical condition, isolate yourself. Entrust the responsibility with someone else.
Be alert to the warning signs. And call your doctor if required. Watch out for the following symptoms:
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain that refuses to go away
- Blue color on your face and lips
- Confusion
- Fatigue
See to it that you are using a pulse oximeter. The device helps you measure the amount of oxygen in the blood.
With over 15 years as a practicing journalist, Nikki Attkisson found herself at Powdersville Post now after working at several other publications. She is an award-winning journalist with an entrepreneurial spirit and worked as a journalist covering technology, innovation, environmental issues, politics, health etc. Nikki Attkisson has also worked on product development, content strategy, and editorial management for numerous media companies. She began her career at local news stations and worked as a reporter in national newspapers.