May 5, 2026
A Davidson, N.C. woman felt the sting of a mosquito bite in more ways than one.
While playing with her two young daughters at dusk in a park, Silvana Toska felt a bug bite her. She scratched the spot and didn't think much of it, not knowing she was about to incur about $3,250 in out-of-pocket charges.
Advertisement
When the sun set, Toska's husband flashed his phone's flashlight near her — and saw she was covered in hives.
A trip to an urgent care clinic and two subsequent doses of epinephrine (the allergy medication in Epi-Pen injectors), led to a trip to the emergency room. That resulted in two hours of her lying on a stretcher, attempting to assuage her children's fears.
"I had two little kids who were scared, so I was playing with them and trying to distract them," she told the Washington Post (1).
How much was the bill? A total of $6,746.50.
A common allergic reaction becomes a costly ER visit
After the epinephrine and IV fluids she was given at the urgent care clinic, she was taken by ambulance to Atrium Health Lake Norman, a hospital in Cornelius, N.C.
The ER doctor talked to her about her hives and chest tightness and sent her home with an aftercare plan, which included famotidine (common brand name: Pepcid), an antihistamine available over the counter.
Advertisement
Atrium Health Lake Norman charged her insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina, $20.60 for the famotidine and $6,445.60 for critical care. Toska had not yet met her deductible, so she owed $150 for a co-pay and $3,100.24 for the care itself.
"The doctor determines the severity of the situation, and that's the code we have," Toska recalled. "This is critical care, and that's what it costs."
According to the Medicare Learning Network, critical care is defined as when a doctor directly provides at least 30 minutes of care to a patient with "a probability of imminent or life-threatening deterioration (2)." The $6,445.60 that Toska had been charged for critical care was broken down to the codes 99291 (for 30 to 74 minutes of care) at $5,617.85 and 99292 (for an additional 30 minutes), at $827.75. Anaphylactic shock is treated under code 99291, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians coding guidelines (3).
Still, having to pay $3,100.24 for a brief visit, and entertaining her kids for an hour and a half while in the hospital, was not what Toska expected.
"The system is so broken," she told the Washington Post.
Must Read
- Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake — are you doing the same?
- Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how
- Robert Kiyosaki says this 1 asset will surge 400% in a year and begs investors not to miss this ‘explosion’
Join 250,000+ readers and get Moneywise’s best stories and exclusive interviews first — clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.
What patients can learn from surprise medical bills
This isn't just a problem for Toska. Like for so many others, the real emergency wasn't the trip to the hospital, but the medical bill.
Advertisement
About 100 million Americans have medical debt, with 7.4% of them experiencing catastrophic health care expenses annually, more than double the rate of any other developed nation, according to reporting in Forbes. The term catastrophic is defined as any expenditures that exceed 40% of a household's income after basic needs are met.
Additionally, medical care costs contribute to at least 530,000 personal bankruptcy filings annually. Two-thirds of those bankruptcies are associated with medical expenses or illness-related loss of work (4).
One-third (more than 82 million) of Americans cut back on expenses to afford their health care, according to a 2025 Gallup poll, which surveyed 20,000 U.S. adults from June to August (5).
In March, Toska had another reaction to a bug bite. This time, however, she took a dose of antihistamine and avoided the trip to the hospital.
Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.
Washington Post (1); Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (2); American College of Emergency Physicians (3); Forbes (4); Gallup (5)
You May Also Like
- Turning 50 with $0 saved for retirement? Most people don’t realize they’re actually just entering their prime earning decade. Here are 6 ways to catch up fast
- Inside a $1B real estate fund offering access to thousands of income-producing rental properties — with flexible minimums starting at $10
- Vanguard’s outlook on U.S. stocks is raising alarm bells for retirees. Here’s why and how to protect yourself
- Here are 5 easy ways to own multiple properties like Bezos and Beyoncé. You can start with $10 (and no, you don’t have to manage a single thing)
Brian Baker is an Associate Editor with Moneywise. He has been a media professional for over 20 years.
