Bills & expensesMedical & health
Spinal decompression surgery for Ruby: covering what insurance won't
After osteoarthritis in the right knee, Ruby was cleared for spinal decompression surgery, but the bill is more than we can manage.
🇺🇸 United States2,027 views
In June I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in the right knee. My surgeon at Saint Luke Hospital recommended spinal decompression surgery, and I have been placed on the schedule for August. The hospital's financial office gave me a written estimate of $6,250, and after what my employer's plan will pay, I'm still $4,650 short.
Doctors at Saint Luke Hospital told me osteoarthritis in the right knee will get worse without spinal decompression surgery. I work as a taxi driver, and I have saved what I can, but the estimate of $6,250 is far beyond what I've.
Until the surgery I can't work full days, and my hours as a taxi driver have already been cut. Every week of waiting means more pain and a bigger risk.
Recovery is expected to take about 7 weeks. I'll not be able to drive during that time, so this has become a financial emergency as well as a medical one.
I'll pay the hospital and pharmacy directly and post every receipt in the updates section.
Where the $4,650 goes:
• Hospital stay (5 nights): $1,500
• Surgeon and anesthesia fees: $2,200
• Physiotherapy sessions: $550
• Pre-operative tests and imaging: $400
If you're reading this, thank you.
- due date
- 2026-09-19
- bill type
- Hospital invoice
Updates from Ruby
No updates yet. Supporters are notified when the owner posts one.
- Ahmed Hamza Habib 🇺🇸 · $10
- Vani R. Sharma 🇬🇧 · $250
“Good luck. Small amount but sent with love. - Newport”
- Vera Yulia Polishchuk 🇷🇺 · $25
“Get well soon. Thought of Ruby all day after reading this. - Novosibirsk”
- Victoria Linda Appiah 🇬🇭 · $71
- Suresh J. Chaudhary 🇮🇳 · $25
“All the best. Hope the September deadline works out. - Howrah”
- Zlata Anastasia Frolov 🇷🇺 · $100
- Anonymous 🇺🇸 · $5
- Anonymous 🇨🇦 · $50
- Huyền Huyền Huynh 🇺🇸 · $5
- Zainab Bisma Gill 🇵🇰 · $30
- Kelly Heloísa Pacheco 🇧🇷 · $10
- Jagadish D. Pai 🇮🇳 · $25
“You got this. Thought of Ruby all day after reading this. - Pune”
- Ayşe Ecrin Çelik 🇹🇷 · $100
- Okta Sri Harahap 🇮🇩 · $10
- Aparecida Amanda Campos 🇧🇷 · $28
- Evgeny Dmytro Novikov 🇷🇺 · $5
- Saar Zoë Kuiper 🇳🇱 · $100
- Sebastian Haas 🇩🇪 · $10
- Romeo S. Soriano 🇵🇭 · $200
- Ellie N. Ferguson 🇬🇧 · $42
“Sending love. My father told me about this one. - Sheffield”
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take care, Ruby. I work in healthcare and wanted you to know people are on your side. I'll check back for the next update. God bless.
Rooting for you, Ruby. I work in healthcare and wanted you to know people are on your side. We're a small family in București but we're thinking of you. Take care.
Hope it all works out, Ruby. Everyone deserves a bit of help sometimes. My neighbor in Niterói donated after I showed her your page.
stay strong. Wishing Ruby a smooth procedure and a full recovery. Blessings.
Wishing Ruby a smooth procedure and a full recovery
sending love. I hope things turn around soon. Wish I lived closer to Onitsha so I could bring a meal.
I work in healthcare and wanted you to know people are on your side. Our whole street has been following this since the weekend. Thinking of Cincinnati
Everyone deserves a bit of help sometimes. Don't give up. Greetings from Charlotte.