texascavers Digest 22 Feb 2012 16:13:06 -0000 Issue 1504

Topics (messages 19623 through 19628):

Re: TCC Winter Conference-Tours & Workshops
        19623 by: Mark.Alman.L-3com.com

Re: Rolling Oaks Preserve Thanks!!
        19624 by: ellie watson

Bexar Grotto Program 2/27/2012
        19625 by: joe schaertl

Re: Cost of Rabies Shots
        19626 by: caverarch
        19627 by: Lyndon Tiu
        19628 by: caverarch

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----------------------------------------------------------------------
--- Begin Message ---
Any photos and trip reports from this event would be most welcome!

 

 

Thanks,

 

Mark

 

 

 

From: Mike Walsh [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 10:12 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Texascavers] TCC Winter Conference-Tours & Workshops

 

Join us this February 24-26, 2012   for the fifth annual Texas Cave
Conservancy Winter Conference.  As usual, it will be held at the TCC
Headquarters and Campground. While everyone is welcome, it is an event
set up for new cavers.  The TCC will present a Cave Restoration Workshop
on Saturday.  Grottos, come on out and be sure to let your new cavers
know that they are welcome.  We will have camping, caving, workshops, a
Saturday night meal and a party. Bring a new caver or ten. 

This year, Speakers after the Saturday night meal will host a
presentation on the Old Southwest Texas Grotto. We will have slides to
go along with the cavers stories.  We recently sent out a list of almost
500 former SWTG members.  This should be fun.

The Texas Caver Cook Crew will prepare a meal for Saturday night.  They
are the best around, come on out and enjoy their work.

Donations will be accepted, however, if you are a new caver everything
will provided at no cost.  Camping, caving and a great party Saturday
evening will be some of the activities.  If you want to set up a special
event, contact us.  Start 2011 out with your caver friends, both old and
new.  For more information contact us at:

[email protected]

Mike Walsh-TCC President

512-249-2283

TCC Headquarters

1800 West Park

Cedar Park, Texas 78613

 

TCC Winter Conference Activities 

 

February 24-26, 2012

 

Friday

Camping & Caving

 

Saturday

Breakfast- TCC Headquarters

 

Tours & Workshops -  Starting 9:00-10:00 A.M.

 

 *   Cave Geology & Hydrology Tour-10:00 A.M.

     Bill Larsen

 

*   Cave Restoration Workshop -  9:00 A.M.

    Justin Shaw

*   Cave Clean Up - All Day

 

*   Cave Digging Workshop  -10:A.M.

    Christopher Franke

 

*   Cave Slide Review- 10:00 A.M.

    Jim Jasek

________________________________________

 


.  Avery Ranch Cave- All Day


 

.  Dies Ranch Treasure Cave-All Day

 

.  Dies Ranch Shelter Cave-All Day

 


.  Cedar Park area Caving-All Day


 


.  Dinner - 6:30 PM


 


 .  Special After  Dinner- guest presentation by the old SWTG members.


(the old Grotto by the old cavers).


.

 

.  Hall of Texas Cavers slides & Party

 

.  Dave Cave's Salon (Strawberry Margaritas & more)

 

Sunday

 

Breakfast-TCC Headquarters

 

 

 


--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Cavers,

Huge thanks to the 15 dedicated volunteers (Cavers and Master
Naturalists) who came out this weekend to help pick-up trash and dig
out a large portion of Niche Cave on the Texas Cave Management
Association Rolling Oaks cave preserve in Northwest San Antonio.  A
surprisingly large number of people turned out despite a massive
downpour all morning and thick, sloppy grounds. Because of your
efforts, we removed toilets, sinks, tires, pool slides, rebar, and
literally tons more (about 3,000 lbs total). We also dug out
approximately 450 cubic feet of trash and debris from Niche Cave. A
special thanks to Fran Hutchins for hauling all the trash away and to
Joe Mitchell for arranging an excellent post-work caving trip for all
who volunteered. 58 volunteer were hours logged.

Thanks to: Donnie Roland, Gregg Williams, Corey Burrell, Clay
McCafferty, Tom Florer, Linda Palit, George Veni, Allan Cobb, Rick
Corbell, Jill Orr, Monique DeVries, Dienna DeVries, Joe Mitchell,
Kayla Mitchell, Bennett Lee

There is still plenty of debris in Niche Cave waiting for the next
work day so everyone will have a chance to get in on the fun. Keep an
eye out for an article with pictures.

Ellie Watson

Rolling Oaks Preserve Manager

--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
At the next Bexar Grotto meeting on 2/27/2012, George Veni will be presenting 
the program "The Amazing Ice Caves of Austria". All are welcome to attend. The 
meeting starts at 7pm, with the program to follow.  As always, we'll be at 
Chester's Hamburgers at 281 and Thousand Oaks (16609 San Pedro Avenue) in San 
Antonio.


--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
I got a similar pre-exposure immunization to that which Allan refers from a 
Houston travel medicine service prior to a trip to Belize in 2001.  It was 
added to a standard tropical infectious diseases package after I mentioned that 
I would be caving.  The price for the co-pay on the whole lot wasn't 
prohibitive or I would have gone without.  


As it turned out, Belize didn't kill me, but London nearly did. :-(


Roger G. Moore



-----Original Message-----
From: Edward Gelsone <[email protected]>
To: 'Lyndon Tiu' <[email protected]>; 'Allan B. Cobb' <[email protected]>; 
'Cavers Texas' <[email protected]>
Cc: Steve Gutting <[email protected]>
Sent: Mon, Feb 20, 2012 1:42 pm
Subject: RE: [Texascavers] Cost of Rabies Shots



I personally believe the variance is due to the manner in which almost all 
medical bills are charged.
 
When I was self-insured in the 90’s I always discussed the price up front.  The 
doctors gave me a cash price for all services and the prices were fair.  Always 
much less than the insurance prices as billed.
 
Since that time I have always checked out what my insurance carrier was billed 
vs what they actually paid the treatment center, HUGE differences.
 
As an example a bit over a year ago, I was prescribed a common CPAP machine.  
Humana was being billed $1,500.00 per month.  My portion was about $190.00 per 
month.  The sleep center billed this monthly.  I was racking up $190.00 per 
month and Humana was paying nothing.
 
I found the same exact machine on-line and it was actually very inexpensive.  I 
called the sleep center and offered them what they would cost retail (a bit 
overpriced that way) and they took the cash deal and I was paid up immediately.
 
So, book price $1500 per month (apparently forever)
Insurance paid ZERO
I paid about $800.00 and settled the deal.
 
Same thing for all services.  The Doctor bills a ton and accepts about a ten 
percent payment from the insurance company.  I have never found one that would 
not accept the same from you on a cash basis. So rabies shot prices are most 
likely driven by the need for the insurance companies and the Feds to make us 
think medical bills must be huge.  Therefore justifying both the need for 
insurance to cost so much and the Feds to take over  the industry.
 
ala  OBAMACARE
 
Ed
 
 
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Lyndon Tiu
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 1:24 PM
To: Allan B. Cobb; Cavers Texas
Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Cost of Rabies Shots
 
Then why the huge price discepancy? Someone got fleeced?
--
Lyndon Tiu

On Feb 20, 2012 12:56 PM, "Allan B. Cobb" <[email protected]> wrote:


You can get pre-exposure shots which requires 3 shots at 0, 7, and 21/28 days 
at the Austin Regional Clinic Travel Medicine office for $360 per shot (or $270 
with a cash discount). Post exposure, from what I understand is 4 shots of the 
same vaccine.

 

http://www.austinregionalclinic.com/Services/travel_medicine_services/pricing.asp

 

Allan


 


From: Ron R 

Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 12:47 PM

To: Preston Forsythe 

Cc: [email protected] ; R D Milhollin ; Jim Kennedy 

Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Cost of Rabies Shots


 


I'm sure there are vastly different prices for the Rabies vaccination 
(pre-exposure) vs. the emergency Rabies shot series (post-exposure).

On Mon, Feb 20, 2012 at 12:43 PM, Preston Forsythe <[email protected]> 
wrote:

Thanks RD for checking as I was hoping the Miami price was inflated. I did 
double check the Miami Audubon article and it cost the author $27,000.00.

 

I would certainly hope the vaccine would be cheaper in TX and KY. I was 
wondering if it would even be available in KY?

 

When Crash gets time maybe he can enlighten us on the costs, procedures and 
availability. I bet Crash has had the vaccines. Wonder how long the shots are 
good for?

 

There have been several times in my caving days when I was surrounded by bats, 
swimming in thick guano covered water, not to mention walking, wading and 
crawling  in deep guano.

 

Guano Go Caving,

 

Preston

============================================= 



----- Original Message ----- 

From: R D Milhollin 

To: Preston Forsythe ; [email protected] 

Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 11:55 AM

Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Cost of Rabies Shots

 


Preston, that cost figure seemed a little out-of-range, so I took 4 minutes to 
look around for other information to confirm or refute the article's claim.

 

 

This is from the North Dakota public health website:

 

http://www.ndhealth.gov/disease/Rabies/QandA.htm

 


"How much does rabies vaccine cost?


Rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin is very expensive.  A typical vaccination 
series with the rabies immunoglobulin can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $7,000+ 
per person." 

 


and from a North Carolina new program:

 

http://www2.nbc17.com/news/2011/jun/30/rabies-shots-are-expensive-hard-find-and-time-cons-ar-1169155/

 


"If you think the long wait and multiple visits are tough to handle, the 
hospital bills are worse. Hutton said the first treatment resulted in a bill of 
$10,289. But why so much?

The cost of the ER facility is only 7 percent of the bill, but then you need a 
vial of immunoglobulin. That's where the big money factors in. Depending on its 
weight, a vial of immunoglobulin can cost upwards of$1,500. According to Rex 
Hospital Emergency Room supervisor Sherry Witt, immunoglobulin is like liquid 
gold.

According to Rex, in Hutton's $10,000 bill, that one shot was 80 percent of the 
bill -more than $8,000 for that one shot."

 

So my unscientific, cursory survey of the information on the internet seems to 
show that while very expensive, the figure quoted by the Miami Audubon seems 
somewhat inflated, by a factor ranging from 2 to 4 times. What would be more 
informative for us would be what Texas health providers charge for the 
treatment. 





From: Preston Forsythe <[email protected]>
To: [email protected] 
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 10:23 AM
Subject: [Texascavers] Cost of Rabies Shots


According to an article in the Miami Tropical Audubon Society newsletter, 
Spring 2011, five rabies shots cost---$27,000.

The author one evening picked up a "little fluttering thing," a bat, which bit 
her repeatedly between the thumb and forefinger. After 3 days she "yielded to 
reason (and fear)" and went to the doctor. Regular doctors do not stock rabies 
vaccine so she had to go to the Emergency Room. She received Five shots in the 
upper arm, painless, and a bill for $27,000. But, that prevented the possible 
rabies virus from migrating to the brain, where it is always fatal.

The bat was a Brazilian Free-Tailed bat and it lived for 3 days, hence the 
shots.

The author says if you must handle bats wear heavy gloves.

By the way the Tropical Audubon Society headquarters in sw Miami at Coral 
Gables is a great place to visit. Lots of birding in that very tropical and 
jungle like area.

Cavingly,

Preston in KY 

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit our website: http://texascavers.com
To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected]
For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected]











 

-- 
Ron Rutherford





 

--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
What happened to you in London?

On Tue, Feb 21, 2012 at 4:54 PM, caverarch <[email protected]> wrote:
> I got a similar pre-exposure immunization to that which Allan refers from a
> Houston travel medicine service prior to a trip to Belize in 2001.  It was
> added to a standard tropical infectious diseases package after I mentioned
> that I would be caving.  The price for the co-pay on the whole lot wasn't
> prohibitive or I would have gone without.
>
> As it turned out, Belize didn't kill me, but London nearly did. :-(
>
> Roger G. Moore
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Edward Gelsone <[email protected]>
> To: 'Lyndon Tiu' <[email protected]>; 'Allan B. Cobb' <[email protected]>;
> 'Cavers Texas' <[email protected]>
> Cc: Steve Gutting <[email protected]>
> Sent: Mon, Feb 20, 2012 1:42 pm
> Subject: RE: [Texascavers] Cost of Rabies Shots
>
> I personally believe the variance is due to the manner in which almost all
> medical bills are charged.
>
> When I was self-insured in the 90’s I always discussed the price up front.
> The doctors gave me a cash price for all services and the prices were fair.
> Always much less than the insurance prices as billed.
>
> Since that time I have always checked out what my insurance carrier was
> billed vs what they actually paid the treatment center, HUGE differences.
>
> As an example a bit over a year ago, I was prescribed a common CPAP
> machine.  Humana was being billed $1,500.00 per month.  My portion was about
> $190.00 per month.  The sleep center billed this monthly.  I was racking up
> $190.00 per month and Humana was paying nothing.
>
> I found the same exact machine on-line and it was actually very
> inexpensive.  I called the sleep center and offered them what they would
> cost retail (a bit overpriced that way) and they took the cash deal and I
> was paid up immediately.
>
> So, book price $1500 per month (apparently forever)
> Insurance paid ZERO
> I paid about $800.00 and settled the deal.
>
> Same thing for all services.  The Doctor bills a ton and accepts about a ten
> percent payment from the insurance company.  I have never found one that
> would not accept the same from you on a cash basis. So rabies shot prices
> are most likely driven by the need for the insurance companies and the Feds
> to make us think medical bills must be huge.  Therefore justifying both the
> need for insurance to cost so much and the Feds to take over  the industry.
>
> ala  OBAMACARE
>
> Ed
>
>
> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Lyndon
> Tiu
> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 1:24 PM
> To: Allan B. Cobb; Cavers Texas
> Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Cost of Rabies Shots
>
> Then why the huge price discepancy? Someone got fleeced?
> --
> Lyndon Tiu
> On Feb 20, 2012 12:56 PM, "Allan B. Cobb" <[email protected]> wrote:
> You can get pre-exposure shots which requires 3 shots at 0, 7, and 21/28
> days at the Austin Regional Clinic Travel Medicine office for $360 per shot
> (or $270 with a cash discount). Post exposure, from what I understand is 4
> shots of the same vaccine.
>
> http://www.austinregionalclinic.com/Services/travel_medicine_services/pricing.asp
>
> Allan
>
> From: Ron R
> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 12:47 PM
> To: Preston Forsythe
> Cc: [email protected] ; R D Milhollin ; Jim Kennedy
> Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Cost of Rabies Shots
>
> I'm sure there are vastly different prices for the Rabies vaccination
> (pre-exposure) vs. the emergency Rabies shot series (post-exposure).
> On Mon, Feb 20, 2012 at 12:43 PM, Preston Forsythe <[email protected]>
> wrote:
> Thanks RD for checking as I was hoping the Miami price was inflated. I did
> double check the Miami Audubon article and it cost the author $27,000.00.
>
> I would certainly hope the vaccine would be cheaper in TX and KY. I was
> wondering if it would even be available in KY?
>
> When Crash gets time maybe he can enlighten us on the costs, procedures and
> availability. I bet Crash has had the vaccines. Wonder how long the shots
> are good for?
>
> There have been several times in my caving days when I was surrounded by
> bats, swimming in thick guano covered water, not to mention walking, wading
> and crawling  in deep guano.
>
> Guano Go Caving,
>
> Preston
> =============================================
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: R D Milhollin
> To: Preston Forsythe ; [email protected]
> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 11:55 AM
> Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Cost of Rabies Shots
>
> Preston, that cost figure seemed a little out-of-range, so I took 4 minutes
> to look around for other information to confirm or refute the article's
> claim.
>
>
> This is from the North Dakota public health website:
>
> http://www.ndhealth.gov/disease/Rabies/QandA.htm
>
> "How much does rabies vaccine cost?
>
> Rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin is very expensive.  A typical vaccination
> series with the rabies immunoglobulin can cost anywhere from $2,000 to
> $7,000+ per person."
>
>
> and from a North Carolina new program:
>
> http://www2.nbc17.com/news/2011/jun/30/rabies-shots-are-expensive-hard-find-and-time-cons-ar-1169155/
>
> "If you think the long wait and multiple visits are tough to handle, the
> hospital bills are worse. Hutton said the first treatment resulted in a bill
> of $10,289. But why so much?
> The cost of the ER facility is only 7 percent of the bill, but then you need
> a vial of immunoglobulin. That's where the big money factors in. Depending
> on its weight, a vial of immunoglobulin can cost upwards of$1,500. According
> to Rex Hospital Emergency Room supervisor Sherry Witt, immunoglobulin is
> like liquid gold.
> According to Rex, in Hutton's $10,000 bill, that one shot was 80 percent of
> the bill -more than $8,000 for that one shot."
>
> So my unscientific, cursory survey of the information on the internet seems
> to show that while very expensive, the figure quoted by the Miami Audubon
> seems somewhat inflated, by a factor ranging from 2 to 4 times. What would
> be more informative for us would be what Texas health providers charge for
> the treatment.
> ________________________________
> From: Preston Forsythe <[email protected]>
> To: [email protected]
> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 10:23 AM
> Subject: [Texascavers] Cost of Rabies Shots
>
> According to an article in the Miami Tropical Audubon Society newsletter,
> Spring 2011, five rabies shots cost---$27,000.
>
> The author one evening picked up a "little fluttering thing," a bat, which
> bit her repeatedly between the thumb and forefinger. After 3 days she
> "yielded to reason (and fear)" and went to the doctor. Regular doctors do
> not stock rabies vaccine so she had to go to the Emergency Room. She
> received Five shots in the upper arm, painless, and a bill for $27,000. But,
> that prevented the possible rabies virus from migrating to the brain, where
> it is always fatal.
>
> The bat was a Brazilian Free-Tailed bat and it lived for 3 days, hence the
> shots.
>
> The author says if you must handle bats wear heavy gloves.
>
> By the way the Tropical Audubon Society headquarters in sw Miami at Coral
> Gables is a great place to visit. Lots of birding in that very tropical and
> jungle like area.
>
> Cavingly,
>
> Preston in KY
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Visit our website: http://texascavers.com
> To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected]
> For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected]
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Ron Rutherford
>



-- 
Lyndon Tiu

--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
That is where I caught a mysterious ailment that didn't manifest itself until 
the day after I was back in Houston.  Three days later I was in hospital in an 
induced coma and on a respirator with pneumonia and sepsis.  I came close 
enough to checking out that my kids were summoned home from college for a few 
days, and I didn't get out of the hospital for 5 1/2 weeks.  I have honestly 
not been the same since.


Roger G. Moore



-----Original Message-----
From: Lyndon Tiu <[email protected]>
To: caverarch <[email protected]>
Cc: egelsone <[email protected]>; ac <[email protected]>; texascavers 
<[email protected]>; stephen.gutting <[email protected]>
Sent: Tue, Feb 21, 2012 8:14 pm
Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Cost of Rabies Shots


What happened to you in London?

On Tue, Feb 21, 2012 at 4:54 PM, caverarch <[email protected]> wrote:
> I got a similar pre-exposure immunization to that which Allan refers from a
> Houston travel medicine service prior to a trip to Belize in 2001.  It was
> added to a standard tropical infectious diseases package after I mentioned
> that I would be caving.  The price for the co-pay on the whole lot wasn't
> prohibitive or I would have gone without.
>
> As it turned out, Belize didn't kill me, but London nearly did. :-(
>
> Roger G. Moore
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Edward Gelsone <[email protected]>
> To: 'Lyndon Tiu' <[email protected]>; 'Allan B. Cobb' <[email protected]>;
> 'Cavers Texas' <[email protected]>
> Cc: Steve Gutting <[email protected]>
> Sent: Mon, Feb 20, 2012 1:42 pm
> Subject: RE: [Texascavers] Cost of Rabies Shots
>
> I personally believe the variance is due to the manner in which almost all
> medical bills are charged.
>
> When I was self-insured in the 90’s I always discussed the price up front.
> The doctors gave me a cash price for all services and the prices were fair.
> Always much less than the insurance prices as billed.
>
> Since that time I have always checked out what my insurance carrier was
> billed vs what they actually paid the treatment center, HUGE differences.
>
> As an example a bit over a year ago, I was prescribed a common CPAP
> machine.  Humana was being billed $1,500.00 per month.  My portion was about
> $190.00 per month.  The sleep center billed this monthly.  I was racking up
> $190.00 per month and Humana was paying nothing.
>
> I found the same exact machine on-line and it was actually very
> inexpensive.  I called the sleep center and offered them what they would
> cost retail (a bit overpriced that way) and they took the cash deal and I
> was paid up immediately.
>
> So, book price $1500 per month (apparently forever)
> Insurance paid ZERO
> I paid about $800.00 and settled the deal.
>
> Same thing for all services.  The Doctor bills a ton and accepts about a ten
> percent payment from the insurance company.  I have never found one that
> would not accept the same from you on a cash basis. So rabies shot prices
> are most likely driven by the need for the insurance companies and the Feds
> to make us think medical bills must be huge.  Therefore justifying both the
> need for insurance to cost so much and the Feds to take over  the industry.
>
> ala  OBAMACARE
>
> Ed
>
>
> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Lyndon
> Tiu
> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 1:24 PM
> To: Allan B. Cobb; Cavers Texas
> Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Cost of Rabies Shots
>
> Then why the huge price discepancy? Someone got fleeced?
> --
> Lyndon Tiu
> On Feb 20, 2012 12:56 PM, "Allan B. Cobb" <[email protected]> wrote:
> You can get pre-exposure shots which requires 3 shots at 0, 7, and 21/28
> days at the Austin Regional Clinic Travel Medicine office for $360 per shot
> (or $270 with a cash discount). Post exposure, from what I understand is 4
> shots of the same vaccine.
>
> http://www.austinregionalclinic.com/Services/travel_medicine_services/pricing.asp
>
> Allan
>
> From: Ron R
> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 12:47 PM
> To: Preston Forsythe
> Cc: [email protected] ; R D Milhollin ; Jim Kennedy
> Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Cost of Rabies Shots
>
> I'm sure there are vastly different prices for the Rabies vaccination
> (pre-exposure) vs. the emergency Rabies shot series (post-exposure).
> On Mon, Feb 20, 2012 at 12:43 PM, Preston Forsythe <[email protected]>
> wrote:
> Thanks RD for checking as I was hoping the Miami price was inflated. I did
> double check the Miami Audubon article and it cost the author $27,000.00.
>
> I would certainly hope the vaccine would be cheaper in TX and KY. I was
> wondering if it would even be available in KY?
>
> When Crash gets time maybe he can enlighten us on the costs, procedures and
> availability. I bet Crash has had the vaccines. Wonder how long the shots
> are good for?
>
> There have been several times in my caving days when I was surrounded by
> bats, swimming in thick guano covered water, not to mention walking, wading
> and crawling  in deep guano.
>
> Guano Go Caving,
>
> Preston
> =============================================
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: R D Milhollin
> To: Preston Forsythe ; [email protected]
> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 11:55 AM
> Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Cost of Rabies Shots
>
> Preston, that cost figure seemed a little out-of-range, so I took 4 minutes
> to look around for other information to confirm or refute the article's
> claim.
>
>
> This is from the North Dakota public health website:
>
> http://www.ndhealth.gov/disease/Rabies/QandA.htm
>
> "How much does rabies vaccine cost?
>
> Rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin is very expensive.  A typical vaccination
> series with the rabies immunoglobulin can cost anywhere from $2,000 to
> $7,000+ per person."
>
>
> and from a North Carolina new program:
>
> http://www2.nbc17.com/news/2011/jun/30/rabies-shots-are-expensive-hard-find-and-time-cons-ar-1169155/
>
> "If you think the long wait and multiple visits are tough to handle, the
> hospital bills are worse. Hutton said the first treatment resulted in a bill
> of $10,289. But why so much?
> The cost of the ER facility is only 7 percent of the bill, but then you need
> a vial of immunoglobulin. That's where the big money factors in. Depending
> on its weight, a vial of immunoglobulin can cost upwards of$1,500. According
> to Rex Hospital Emergency Room supervisor Sherry Witt, immunoglobulin is
> like liquid gold.
> According to Rex, in Hutton's $10,000 bill, that one shot was 80 percent of
> the bill -more than $8,000 for that one shot."
>
> So my unscientific, cursory survey of the information on the internet seems
> to show that while very expensive, the figure quoted by the Miami Audubon
> seems somewhat inflated, by a factor ranging from 2 to 4 times. What would
> be more informative for us would be what Texas health providers charge for
> the treatment.
> ________________________________
> From: Preston Forsythe <[email protected]>
> To: [email protected]
> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 10:23 AM
> Subject: [Texascavers] Cost of Rabies Shots
>
> According to an article in the Miami Tropical Audubon Society newsletter,
> Spring 2011, five rabies shots cost---$27,000.
>
> The author one evening picked up a "little fluttering thing," a bat, which
> bit her repeatedly between the thumb and forefinger. After 3 days she
> "yielded to reason (and fear)" and went to the doctor. Regular doctors do
> not stock rabies vaccine so she had to go to the Emergency Room. She
> received Five shots in the upper arm, painless, and a bill for $27,000. But,
> that prevented the possible rabies virus from migrating to the brain, where
> it is always fatal.
>
> The bat was a Brazilian Free-Tailed bat and it lived for 3 days, hence the
> shots.
>
> The author says if you must handle bats wear heavy gloves.
>
> By the way the Tropical Audubon Society headquarters in sw Miami at Coral
> Gables is a great place to visit. Lots of birding in that very tropical and
> jungle like area.
>
> Cavingly,
>
> Preston in KY
>
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>
> --
> Ron Rutherford
>



-- 
Lyndon Tiu

 

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