This Redditor's nephew was rushed to the hospital after injecting himself with blood thinner — and now his mom demands they cover the costs. How to prep for shock medical expenses

Sabina Wex
This Redditor's nephew was rushed to the hospital after injecting himself with blood thinner — and now his mom demands they cover the costs. How to prep for shock medical expenses
This Redditor's nephew was rushed to the hospital after injecting himself with blood thinner — and now his mom demands they cover the costs. How to prep for shock medical expenses

When your sister blames you for something as a kid, you may have gotten a timeout. But as an adult? You may just get slammed with an unexpected bill.

At least that’s what happened to one Reddit user who took to the “Am I the A–hole” forum to detail their messy medical situation. Here’s what happened: their 12-year-old nephew took a blood thinner injection from the medicine cabinet of his sick cousin (the user’s daughter) because he thought it would get him high. The Redditor’s sister (the nephew's mom) took him to the hospital to try and get it out of his system.

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Now, the sister wants the Redditor to pay up for her son’s hospital bills. She blames the user for for leaving the drugs out where kids can get them.

“I’m refusing to pay,” the poster writes. “[I]f my 11- and 12-year-old boys and 8-year-old girl know not to touch other people[’]s medicines, her 12-year-old should be able to see a vial and syringe and not drug himself.”

But now the sister’s threatening to sue.

“I would send a bill to the sister for the medication HER SON wasted by taking what’s not his!” one commenter says, summing up the general sentiment of the 2,000 comments.

Any surprise medical bill can be crippling — especially when you can’t refuse to pay it. Here’s how to prepare for the unexpected.

Find a good insurance plan

The Reddit poster never mentions whether they’re insured. For their daughter’s sake (and possibly their nephew’s), hopefully they have some coverage.

But 26,370 (8%) of Americans aren’t insured, according to the most recent American Community Survey. However, there are ways to get affordable affordable health insurance.

If health benefits aren't offered through your employer, there's always the Affordable Care Act subsidized marketplace. If you lose your job or can’t work for some other reason, there’s always Medicaid or COBRA, a government-backed program to continue your group benefits health plan for a limited period of time. And if you're old enough, there’s also Medicare.

Experts recommend comparing a minimum of three different quotes before making a decision so don’t just pull the trigger on the first plan you find.

If you have an employer-provided plan that works for you and your family, that’s great. But if it doesn’t provide comprehensive enough coverage for your family, you can always add more private coverage.

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Know providers in your insurance network

Hopefully the Redditor’s nephew is recuperating in a hospital within the poster’s insurance network.

A dentist recently went viral on TikTok for explaining how many of his colleagues will tack on extra charges for patients whose insurance doesn’t include them in their provider network.

As it turns out, seeking out medical assistance from a provider in-network can mean the difference between paying $200 or $300 for a root canal rather than $1,200.

Make sure you know your plan’s providers to ensure you aren’t getting overcharged. You can speak with your company’s HR or your insurance provider’s customer service agents to help you figure out if a provider is in-network for you.

Get an HSA

If the Redditor doesn’t have a Health Savings Account (HSA), they might want to consider starting one.

HSAs are just what they sound like: a savings account for health-related expenses, according to the U.S. government website Health Insurance Marketplace. And they’re perfect for emergency medical expenses.

Your employer may even offer you an HSA. But if they don’t, you can qualify as an individual if you have a high-deductible health plan.

In 2024, the maximum deductible for HSAs is $4,150 for individuals and $8,300 for families, according to the IRS.

The best part about an HSA is that you can invest the money in your account until you need it — just like you would with a retirement account.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

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