Oliver Jones, of Tulsa, Oklahoma recently shared an itemized breakdown of the bill he received from a hospital stay last year after a suicide attempt with the caption:
"This is how expensive it is to attempt suicide in the US."
The bill, which totalled over 93,000, is a stark reminder of what is wrong with the American healthcare system.
Jones said his out-of-pocket costs for the stay were $2,850 because of insurance, but that he would have been financially devastated if not for that insurance. Not exactly a great thing for someone who is already suicidal to have to deal with.
Several Twitter users responded with their similar stories.
Those from other countries were especially shocked at the cost.
Some were apparently less empathetic.
In a 2018 study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which involved over 120,000 youth ages 11-19, more than half of the participants who identified as "transgender, female to male" had attempted suicide.
This was even more likely in youth who were also non-heterosexual.
Combine this with the 2015 Johns Hopkins findings that some hospitals are marking up prices of treatments by over 1000% (yes, that's one thousand percent), and you have a recipe for disaster.
Oliver touched on the problem in an interview with The New York Post:
"Receiving bills and notices for something that will likely take me years to pay off is…disheartening. It leaves a hopeless feeling."
If you are considering suicide, or just need someone to talk to, there are people out there who are willing to listen and want to help.
The Trans Lifeline is a peer-support hotline dedicated to support for trans and trans-questioning people. They can be reached at 877-565-8860.
The Trevor Project provides help to LGBTQ youth. Their hotline can be reached by calling 1-866-488-7386 or texting START to 678678.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline also provides support and crisis intervention. They can be reached by calling 1-800-273-8255
There are also local services and support groups available throughout the United States.
