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( 4UMF NEWS ) Man Charged $17G For Stitches: Some cuts are deeper than others. A New Jersey man says Bayonne Medial Center nicked him and his insurance company for more than $17,000 — to stitch up a 2-inch cut to his finger, according to an NBC News report. Ryan Edgerton went to hospital's emergency room last summer to get “five or six stitches” after he cut his index finger while slicing melon, according to NBC. The outrageous bill — at $2,833 a stitch — stems from a battle between Edgerton’s insurer, United Healthcare, and CarePoint Health, which owns the hospital. CarePoint contended United Healthcare has failed to offer a fair deal for in-network pricing, telling NBC that higher out-of-network charges are a “survival strategy” for struggling hospitals. UnitedHealthcare disagreed, with a spokeswoman telling NBC, “Out-of-network hospitals should be charging rates that are consistent with other facilities in the community, rather than using emergencies as an opportunity to bill patients excessive amounts and drive up the cost of health care.” Source

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