No one can match the resume of Homer Simpson. Just about any job you can think of he’s had. He’s been a boxer and a clown. Worked at the Kwik-E-Mart as a cashier. He was even a baseball mascot and head of sanitation. Homer has risked it all to support his family for more than three decades. Even though a lot of those gigs have been dangerous. And it hasn’t helped that, despite being the safety inspector at a nuclear power plant, he’s pretty reckless. Between his work, clumsiness, and lifestyle, Homer has had countless injuries over the years. Just how many might shock you, though. Because a new study says The Simpsons‘ patriarch has accrued $143 million in medical bills.
Fortunately, he has two things going for him. He did a great job securing a new contract as president of his union. And he lives in an animated version of the United States.
Downtown L.A. Law Group is an accident and injury law group that used its real researchers to determine the cost of Homer Simpson’s fictional injuries. The group examined a sample of 50 accidents Homer has suffered over the years. Then priced out the real-world cost of treating each of them.
No surprise, Homer’s extensive brain injuries topped the list ($1,525,5000 per incident). Paralysis came in second ($508,904). But those totals are a mere pittance compared to the overall medical bill Homer has accrued during the show’s run as a result of “stunts, bad luck, and general accident-prone nature.” The study estimates the total cost of injuries per episode at more than $10 million. With 706 episodes, the overall total rings up at roughly $143 million. D’oh!
Good news/bad news. These prices reflect what Homer would pay if he did not have medical insurance. But he’s a cartoon, so he’s okay. Plus, he got his fellow nuclear power plant employees a good deal with Mr. Burns. Homer was such a good union president he even got them a dental plan! How many Americans can say that?
Next time though, he should work on adding concussion insurance. Even for an animated character, we’re worried about him.
