My family had just arrived at a seaside village on the east coast of Spain, where I was sitting on a white sand beach looking out at the implausibly blue water. The scene was straight out of a Mediterranean daydream, and yet I was panicking.
I frantically researched doctor’s offices nearby, but the remote region had limited options, and I wasn’t even sure how or where to secure an appointment. So, instead, we decided to go to the nearest emergency room. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long to find out what we’d be paying. The receptionist explained that there was a 200€ flat fee for ER visits, pointing to a poster beside her desk that listed the hospital’s costs in clear detail. She noted that if I needed additional tests or procedures, the total could increase. I released the breath I’d been holding, handing over my passport as insurance I would pay at the end of my visit.
Checking out at the front desk, I braced myself for the grand total, knowing from bitter experience that a CT scan can cost thousands of dollars in the U.S. I was pleasantly surprised when the receptionist told me that the final tally for my ER visit was 729€. After I paid, she handed me a disc with a copy of my CT scan for my records. She also gave me the documentation I needed to provide to my insurance company for reimbursement.