A man attempting to capture a selfie with a rattlesnake ended up with more than he bargained for—and it cost him dearly.
In 2015, a San Diego resident encountered a rattlesnake and, rather than retreating from the dangerous reptile, he decided to photograph himself with it.
As might be expected, the rattlesnake did not take kindly to his approach, and the man was bitten.
Beyond the immediate danger of a rattlesnake bite, seeking medical attention proved costly for the individual.
Rattlesnake bites can be fatal if untreated, and addressing them can be expensive.
Dr. Keith Boesen, who leads the Arizona Poison & Drug Information Center, explained to CBS News in 2015: “The only effective treatment is anti-venom.”
“There’s blood tests we can do to determine the effect of the venom. Hospital bills can always be worked out or negotiated, but you can’t really negotiate, other than prosthetics, the loss of part of your hand or your arm,” he added.
Boesen remarked that he was aware of a snake bite case that required 74 vials of anti-venom for treatment.
While it’s not known how many vials the man who took the selfie required, his medical costs were substantial.
Journalist Dan Haggerty acquired a medical bill revealing the man was billed over $83,000 for ‘pharmacy’.
Additional charges included $22,433.00 for lab services, $21,225.00 for an intermediate care room, and $17,766.00 for intensive care.
The total bill reached a staggering $153,161.25.
Haggerty shared a photo of the bill on Twitter, shocking many with the total amount.
One user commented, “US healthcare system is embarrassing,” while another joked, “Under pharmacy charges did the person buy shares in its store?”
Others chimed in, saying, “Healthcare is broken,” and questioning the hospital’s expectations for such a high charge: “This is more than the average household earns in nearly 3 years, TOTAL.”
Unfortunately, exorbitant medical bills are not rare in the U.S.
One woman had to list her home for sale to cover her expenses, incurred when her mother was hospitalized before passing away.
Alicia Wieberg’s mother passed in October 2023, and shortly after, she received a bill for $81,739.40.