Legal Juice

Cliff Blake got nailed twice - first, literally, when a nail went into his foot. Then by Milwaukee podiatrist John S. Lanham. For an office visit that took one hour, the tab was $4,378.93! How could that be?

For a cortisone shot (including the numbing shot), $1,700! (The cost of the medicine: $15!)

For 2 sterile syringes with needles (that cost about 10 cents each): $85!

A "new patient fee" of $265.00.

This is a risk you take when you use the yellow pages to find a doctor! Oh, and I'll bet you can't guess the name of the only podiatrist disciplined by Wisconsin in the past 5 years - Dr. Lanham! As reported in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

A few years ago, patients complained about Lanham's high bills to the state podiatric society. That prompted an investigation into the doctor on suspicion of fraudulent billing. The state eventually suspended him for 90 days. Lanham's suspension ended in April, one month before Blake's visit.

You can read more (plenty) here.