CO lawmakers aim to close ambulance surprise-billing gap

Currently, insurance companies get to decide how much of a public ambulance service's rate to pay, which can lead to patients being charged the unpaid balance.

- Public News Service

Bill seeks to clear Utahns of their spouses’ medical debts after they die

A Utah lawmaker is sponsoring a bill that would absolve Utahns of their spouses’ medical debt after their spouse passes away.

- KSL

Gov. Jared Polis supports bill to cap what Colorado hospitals can charge certain insurers

As health care costs continue to rise in Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis and some state lawmakers are taking aim at hospitals. They want to cap what hospitals can charge some insurers. 

- CBS News

Mass. patients seeing red from sky-high ambulance bills not covered by insurance

When you call 911, you need help fast. Most people are not wondering if the ambulance that shows up is in-network for their health insurance. But after getting huge bills, that's what some patients in Massachusetts say they've had to do.

- WCVB

Man wins free cruise but ends up with $47,000 medical bill after getting the flu onboard

The passenger says he does not know how he will be able to pay the cruise line back.

- Independent

Her doctor's office said they would charge her insurance $700 for an MRI. The bill was double.

- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

‘Unlimited dollars’: how an Indiana hospital chain took over a region and jacked up prices

In the nation’s most affordable metro area, getting hurt or sick is expensive

- The Guardian

Trade groups sue US government over medical bill credit reporting ban

Two trade associations have filed a lawsuit against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over a recent rule that prohibits medical debt reporting in credit reports.

- Santa Clarita Valley Signal

Discounted cash price for health services? Why an Iowa bill would require it be offered

Iowa patients would receive credit toward their health insurance deductible by paying for health care services in cash under a bill state lawmakers advanced Monday.

- Des Moines Register

Health Care Bill Would Slash Pay of Hospital Execs

Under the proposed measure, Vermont hospital executives could be paid no more than 10 times what their facility's lowest wage earner makes.

- Seven Days

Novant Health bills a Huntersville dad $41 for email on medication refill

Hospital systems have started adding fees for emailing doctors.

- Charlotte Ledger

Hospital financial assistance policies have changed, but not always for the better

Nonprofit hospitals are required to have offer free or discounted care for uninsured patients or those unable to pay, and to codify their rules around these discounts in a financial assistance policy (FAP). However, most states do not have minimum requirements for how hospitals implement their FAPs, which means that these policies can be wildly different depending on the hospital.

- Lown Institute

Patient waits months for refund; Doctor says system 'not geared for patients well-being'

The expectation of a Pasco County man who said a local medical clinic over-billed him was a prompt refund. But months later, he still hadn’t received his money.

- WFTS

NH officials discuss solutions for surprise ambulance bills

New Hampshire lawmakers are trying to address the yearslong struggles of patients who take an ambulance and end up surprised with massive bills even when they have health insurance.

- New Hampshire Public Radio

Bill would revoke Indiana hospitals’ nonprofit status for overcharging Hoosier patients

HB 1004 strips nonprofit status from hospitals that charge more than 200 percent above what Medicare pays for the same services.

- The Hamilton County Reporter

A giant US hospital chain says it’s leading the fight against medical debt. Not all patients agree

Many patients say they were harmed by Advocate Health’s billing and collection practices – even as the health system has canceled thousands of liens against patients’ homes

- The Guardian

Their baby died. Then they got the $58K hospital bill

Austin Rivera's and Veronica Court's 13-month-old daughter died in November, after which they spent months struggling with their insurance company to pay for their daughter's hospital ICU stay.

- Dayton Daily News

Woman Gets $783,000 Hospital Bill After Giving Birth

A woman is facing a $783,000 hospital bill after giving birth, based on her daughter's NICU expenses.

- Newsweek

Foreigners left stunned as American mom reveals astronomical hospital bill after giving birth

A new mom left the internet shocked over the astronomical medical bill she received after childbirth.

- Newsbreak

Hospital Bills Insured Woman $18k for Biopsy Procedure the Healthcare Provider’s Online Patient Payment Estimator Said Would Typically Cost Uninsured Patients $1,400

Dani Yuengling thought she had properly prepared herself for the financial impact of a breast biopsy. After all, it’s a simple procedure, especially if done by fine needle aspiration (FNA). Then, the 35-year-old received a bill for $18,000! And that was after insurance and though she had received a much lower advanced quote, according to an NPR/Kaiser Health News (NPR/KHN) bill-of-the-month investigation.

- DARK Daily

Hospital price transparency law empowers Ohioans to reduce crushing health care costs: Bryce Heinbaugh

Will a new Ohio law requiring hospitals to post their prices give Ohioans an opportunity to reduce health care costs? Guest columnist Bryce Heinbaugh is optimistic, citing the success of health-care pricing transparency in Ashtabula.

- Cleveland.com

Man Receives $12,000 Bill From Health Insurance Company For 'Lab Work' Done 3 Months Prior

- Your Tango

How removing unpaid medical bills from credit reports could help consumers

Lenders will no longer be able to consider unpaid medical bills as a credit history factor when they evaluate potential borrowers in the U.S. for mortgages, car loans or business loans, according to a rule the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

- AP

CFPB Finalizes Rule to Remove Medical Bills from Credit Reports

Final rule will remove billions of dollars of medical bills from credit reports and end coercive debt collection practices that weaponize the credit reporting system

- CFPB

I spent 26 days in the hospital and racked up almost $900K in bills. The real financial battle started when I left the ICU.

Stella Shon experienced burn-like wounds all over her body from an allergic reaction to medication.  One insurance provider paid almost $900K for the ICU. Her follow-up claims have been rejected.  Shon has paid over $20,000 out of pocket for related medical expenses since her hospitalization.

- Business Insider