MEDICAL BILLING NEWS

Keep abreast of news and information on medical billing and its impact on patients and consumers.

Rising health care prices are driving unemployment and job losses

When health care costs rise, employers outside the health care sector cut jobs, leading to higher unemployment among healthy middle-class wage earners.

- Yale News

It’s called an urgent care emergency center — but which is it?

In severe pain and uncertain of its cause, Tieqiao Zhang of Dallas says he didn’t want to wait for an appointment with his regular doctor, but he also wasn’t sure if he needed emergency care. He visited a clinic on the campus of Dallas’ largest public hospital — and was charged 10 times what he expected.

- NPR

Have You Had a Hospital Bill Sent to Collections? Price Transparency Could Help.

At least 15% of Ohioans are saddled with medical bills they cannot pay.

- CityBeat

Ambulance services charge Rockford patients thousands in surprise bills

- WIFR

R.I. legislators pass bill to keep medical debt off credit reports

The Rhode Island General Assembly recently passed legislation that would protect Rhode Islanders from credit problems resulting from medical debts.

- Providence Business News.

Identity theft warning as woman lumped with $200,000 debt due to 'outrageous' medical bills racked up by total stranger: 'None of this was me'

A Phoenix woman serves as an example of the devastation that medical identity theft can cause, as she contends with the more than $200,000 in bills she's received since someone else began pretending to be her.

- Daily Mail

Have Good Health Insurance? Too Bad. You Could Still Get A $250,000 Bill

I'm an ER doctor and researcher in healthcare costs and access.

- Forbes

Ohio Senate passes Hospital Price Transparency Bill

The Senate passed a bill on June 12 that requires hospitals to publish estimates instead of actual prices.

- WTVG

In sweeping change, Biden administration to ban medical debt from credit reports

In a sweeping change that could improve millions of Americans' ability to own a home or buy a car, the Biden administration will propose a rule Tuesday to ban medical debt from credit reports.

- ABC News

When doctors aren’t part of the hospital’s financial assistance policy

Nonprofit hospitals have to provide financial assistance, which is free or discounted care for eligible patients. However, even if patients meet the income requirements for assistance, they may come up against another obstacle—clinicians who provide care at the hospital but are excluded from the policy.

- Lown Institute

Here's Why You Should Never Put Medical Bills on a Credit Card

If you owe money in medical bill form, you may be inclined to charge those expenses on a credit card and pay it off when you can. But putting medical bills on a credit card can be a terrible idea.

- MSN

Health Care Providers are Starting to Charge Payments Up Front

A recent report from The Wall Street Journal highlights how some health care providers are shifting to advance billing for medical procedures, outside of emergencies.

- ACA International

Fat Joe wants hospital price transparency. Here's how he's fighting for it in D.C.

Rapper Fat Joe advocates for price transparency and says what he wants politicians in D.C. to do about it.

- NPR

'No one else seemed to care': Patients reach out to Public Investigator about medical billing issues with Ascension, insurers

Ascension patients submitted dozens of emails and calls to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Public Investigator after a story about a 'Milwaukee couple who spent months fighting a medical bill for a checkup. Most involved Medicare users or older adults, and all cited difficulties communicating with Ascension customer service regarding billing errors.

- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Dispute between ambulance company and insurance company leaves customers in the middle

An Orlando woman has received a barrage of bills and texts demanding hundreds of dollars for a five-minute ambulance ride that her insurance carrier assured her was in-network.

- WFTV.com

Bipartisan bill addressing Oklahomans medical debt leaps over final hurdle, gets Stitt’s signature

A bipartisan Oklahoma House Bill which attempts to make sure patients know the cost of common medical procedures before they take place is officially law after Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signs his name to the measure.

- KSWO

Cost of medical procedures going public

House Bill 4148 requires compliance with federal and state law requiring price transparency in common medical procedures and services. While some providers already do share cash pricing, many are lagging behind.

- Claremore Daily Progress

His insurance card said out-of-network care was covered. Then, he found out it was a typo.

Three months after his colonoscopy, Mike Meier received a bill for $10,745.

- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The State of Medical Debt in the U.S.

The growing problem of medical debt in America has garnered national attention, generating a larger discussion of its drivers and consequences. To help us understand how we got here and where to go next, the Lown Institute invited some of those working on the frontlines of this issue to participate in a multi-panel, virtual event

- Lown Institute