Imagine receiving a bill for $10,000. It’s from your local hospital, where you had a minor procedure. But you have no idea why it’s so high, or how you’re going to pay.
If you’ve ever had an experience like this, you’re not alone. In 2020, a California couple was billed $80,000 for their twins’ stay in intensive care. In 2022, a South Carolina hospital charged a woman more than $5,000 for a breast biopsy, after refusing to give her a price estimate in advance. And that was just her share of the $18,000 the hospital billed.
It’s become so common for patients to receive shockingly high post-care hospital bills that Kaiser Health News started a “bill of the month” feature to showcase the worst offenders. In many cases, patients tried to figure out their costs before getting care but were told the information wasn’t available.
Nothing contained in this blog is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of the Pacific Research Institute or as an attempt to thwart or aid the passage of any legislation.
Hospitals aren’t being honest about costs, and we’re paying the price
Sally C. Pipes
Imagine receiving a bill for $10,000. It’s from your local hospital, where you had a minor procedure. But you have no idea why it’s so high, or how you’re going to pay.
If you’ve ever had an experience like this, you’re not alone. In 2020, a California couple was billed $80,000 for their twins’ stay in intensive care. In 2022, a South Carolina hospital charged a woman more than $5,000 for a breast biopsy, after refusing to give her a price estimate in advance. And that was just her share of the $18,000 the hospital billed.
It’s become so common for patients to receive shockingly high post-care hospital bills that Kaiser Health News started a “bill of the month” feature to showcase the worst offenders. In many cases, patients tried to figure out their costs before getting care but were told the information wasn’t available.
Click to read the full article in the Las Vegas Sun.
Nothing contained in this blog is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of the Pacific Research Institute or as an attempt to thwart or aid the passage of any legislation.