Bills & expensesMedical & health
ACL reconstruction for Mercedes: covering what insurance won't
Mercedes needs ACL reconstruction at San Francisco University Hospital and the family is $5,650 short of the hospital's estimate.
🇺🇸 California, United States3,284 views
In August I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in the right knee. My surgeon at San Francisco University Hospital recommended ACL reconstruction, and I have been placed on the schedule for November. The hospital's financial office gave me a written estimate of $11,250, and after what the government subsidy will pay, I'm still $5,650 short.
Doctors at San Francisco University Hospital told me osteoarthritis in the right knee will get worse without ACL reconstruction. I work as a call-centre agent, and I have saved what I can, but the estimate of $11,250 is far beyond what I've.
Until the surgery I can't work full days, and my hours as a call-centre agent have already been cut. Every week of waiting means more pain and a bigger risk.
The recovery period is expected to take about 5 weeks. I'll not be able to work a full shift during that time, so this has become a financial emergency as well as a medical one.
The money goes straight to the treatment bills, and I'll share the invoices as they're paid so you can see exactly what your gift did.
Where the $5,650 goes:
• Post-operative medication: $400
• Surgeon and anesthesia fees: $3,700
• Hospital stay (2 nights): $1,350
• Travel and lodging for the family: $200
Thanks for being kind about this.
- Mercedes
- due date
- 2026-10-21
- bill type
- Hospital invoice
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Praying for you. Get well soon. Don't be hard on yourself for asking. All the best
You're not alone. Look after yourselves too, caregivers need rest. My late mom used to say help given quietly counts double. Thinking of San Francisco.
Hope things get better soon, Mercedes. I work in healthcare and wanted you to know people are on your side. After 24 years in customer support I know how hard it's to ask for anything. God bless
take care, Mercedes. It takes guts to ask. Well done. The breakdown of costs made it easy to trust!