So the bills have arrived from my recent food poisoning escapade:

Before insurance:
Ambulance cost: $2,900
Hospital cost: $10,400

After insurance:
Ambulance cost: $1,400
Hospital cost: $1,900

That’s right, friends: even with fantastic insurance, a quick trip to hospital to treat food poisoning (fluids, morphine, and some tests) just cost me $3,300. If I didn’t have insurance? I’d be up for around $13k. 

It would have been cheaper for me to fly home to Melbourne for treatment. And next time something similar happens (provided I can fly and I’m not vomiting and shivering in the foetal position), that’s probably what I’ll do. 

This country is broken.