[Old Dog New Trick]

Ha ha ha LMFAO!!! Well done *clap*

And with that: "You Lie!" It wasn't just a sucking hemopneumothorax they forced upon us taxpayers and employers of the land to bend over yet again and get the pommel shoved up our anus for demanding the King hath no clothes.

Pre hospital phase: Occlusive dressing-
Field expedient: $0.00 - $5.00
Manufactured: (Actual $2.79 retail $27.99 industry applied (EMS) $279.99)

Emergency Room Phase: Thoracic Catheter (Chest Tube)
Government Price NSN / Hospital bulk order per 1000: $1.35/unit
Hospital Restocking Price: $135.00/ea
Valve Assembly: new $3.98
Hospital Restocking Price: :$398.00

Out-Patient Hospitalization Phase:
Chest X-Ray: (Actuall $35.00 but to cover the costs of installing new equipment across town at the Acute Medical Clinic for the depraved section-8 housing where these services are provided free your X-Ray will be billed to insurance at $3,500)

In-Patient Hospitalization Phase:
To be sure everything was in fact needed and then done right...the doctor has ordered a CT scan and MRI to be sure placement was correct. Total costs billed to insurance providers or individuals for diagnostic imaging services: $75,000 - $190,000 depending on whether you were treated in a level II or level V Trauma Care Facility.

Suction apparatus, electricity used, monitored I/O by nursing staff, multi-function bed, anti-decubitus ulcer compression sleeves, assisted trips to the bathroom and jello pudding for a three day two night stay in ICU: $347,498.00 of which your insurance company will pick up 80% leaving you with $69,499.00 to pay for a simple penetrating knife wound to you chest.

In Thailand, minus all the "extras" outpatient services including chest tube intubation, manual auscultation and syringe confirmation or absence of fluids, manual suction and take home instructions with pharmacy script to stop by local pharmacy and pick up OTC Percocet for pain as needed (PRN): 1,000 THB ($28,17 USD)

Or you could find an out of work 18D to do this and a baggie of 800mg Ibuprofen.

Note: If you climb in the Ambulance that will raise your bill by: $2,000 - $18,000 depending on type of Ambulance, distance and whether it flies or drives.