Our top five posts about surprise hospital bills in 2017
The last thing anybody wants to think about when visiting the hospital is the cost. It gets worse when the bill arrives months later with surprising charges you weren’t prepared for. Here were Voices’ top five surprise hospital bill posts, based on your comments, clicks and shares.
1. Surprise facility fees
From 2009 to 2013 spending on emergency rooms increased by $3 billion, even though the number of hospital bills fell. Why? Facility fees. Each patient is charged this upfront cost simply for walking through the door of the emergency room, and patients don’t find out until their bill arrives.
2. A $629 Band-Aid
When the Bird family took their young daughter into the emergency room to treat a cut finger, they received a Band-Aid and were sent home. A few months later, the bill came: $629. That’s $7 for the Band-Aid, and a “facility fee” of $622.
3. $1,877 for a botched ear piercing
Margaret O’Neill received an offer from the surgeon when her daughter went in for a simple surgery: He’d also pierce the girl’s ears, to which O’Neill agreed. Months later the bill arrived with a charge of $1,887.86 for the ear piercing. After countless hours with her attorney, O’Neill persuaded the hospital to cancel the charge. To make matters worse, the piercing had to be redone, so O’Neill took her daughter to the mall and fixed it for $30.
4. The most expensive ride of your life
When Roman Barshay needed an ambulance while visiting out-of-town friends, he was driven to the hospital four miles away. The bill he received totaled $3,660 just for the ambulance, or $915 per mile. Barshay’s insurance covered nearly half, which left him on the hook for almost $1,900.
5. Over-testing leaves you overcharged
As a disclaimer, you should always consult with your doctor about when and how often to have lab tests. But many in the U.S. are over-tested, and the costs add up. Too many blood draws can lead to anemia, and too many CTs, MRIs or X-rays can lead an over-exposure of radiation. All these unnecessary tests then end up on your hospital bill.