'Insane Healthcare Cost': Indian Man Says New York Hospital Charged Him Over Rs 1.5 Lakh For A Visit

Last Updated:January 23, 2026, 14:12 IST

An Indian influencer shared an Instagram video describing how a knee injury in New York led to a USD 1,800 out-of-pocket bill despite insurance.

Indian influencer shares video on cost of living in the United States (Video screengrabs/Instagram)

An Indian influencer, settled in the United States, triggered an online debate after he uploaded a video on Instagram, recounting what he described as a costly healthcare experience in the country following a knee injury in New York.

The influencer, who identified himself as Parth Vijayvergiya, captioned the video “Insane healthcare cost in real life incident" and opens by addressing a common perception about living in the US, saying, “Many people say that America is very expensive. I live here, so let me give you some examples of how expensive it is."

He goes on to narrate how, on Christmas night, he was ice skating with his wife and sister when someone collided with him, leaving him in severe pain.

“Someone hit my knee very hard. I thought I had an injury in my knee, a fracture," he said.

Describing his trip to the hospital, Vijayvergiya noted that he opted for a taxi instead of calling an ambulance, explaining, “The cost of the ambulance here is very high. So calling the ambulance was out of the question."

He said he spent around 90 minutes in the emergency room, where doctors conducted an X-ray, examined him and applied a compression bandage before sending him home.

“They tied a bandage, which is for impacts, for muscle pull. I tied it, and they sent me home," he added.

The surprise, he said, came weeks later.

“Three weeks later, my insurance told me that you have to pay $1,800, more than 1.5 lakh rupees," Vijayvergiya claimed, adding that his insurer separately paid the hospital between $4,000 to $4,500.

Summing up his takeaway, he remarked, “That $1,800 is being charged to me after a visit of 1.5 hours, and that’s why America is so expensive. That’s why salaries are high here."

He ended the video by asking viewers to follow him for more such experiences from life in the US.

The post quickly drew a flood of comments, mixing perspective with patriotism and humour.

One user wrote, “Salaries are high, expenses are high," while another quipped, “USA jobs pay great, right until life sends the invoice."

Some pointed out that costs must be viewed alongside earnings, noting, “You are earning there and spending there, you can’t compare it with India."

Others encouraged him to keep sharing such ground-level stories, with a commenter saying, “Do share more videos like such incidents so people can understand the ground reality."

A few responses took a lighter, nostalgic tone, urging him to return home, “Aaja bhai India wapas," (come back to India, brother) wrote one user, while others said, “Bharat hi best hai," (India is the best) and “Mera Bharat Mahaan."

News world 'Insane Healthcare Cost': Indian Man Says New York Hospital Charged Him Over Rs 1.5 Lakh For A Visit

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