It’s called an urgent care emergency center — but which is it?
Suffering stomach pain, a Dallas man visited his local urgent care clinic — or so he thought, until he got a bill 10 times what he’d expected.
bill of the month
A surprise-billing law loophole? Her pregnancy led to a six-figure hospital bill
Billing experts and lawmakers are playing catch-up as providers get around new consumer protections, leaving patients like Danielle Laskey of Washington state with big bills for emergency care.
Nearly $50,000 a week for a cancer drug? A man worries about bankrupting his family
Medicare suddenly stopped paying for the pricey drug that prolongs his life. As he waits for an appeal, this retired physician wonders if he should give up treatment to spare his family the cost.
A baby spent 36 days at an in-network hospital. Why did her parents get a huge bill?
A family had more than $12,000 in medical bills they couldn't explain after their baby was delivered early. It turns out the doctors who cared for her worked at a different, out-of-network hospital.
The case of the two Grace Elliotts: a medical bill mystery
A health system charged a woman for a shoulder replacement she didn't need and hadn't received. She didn't receive the care, but she did receive the bill — and some medical records of a stranger.
The heartbreak and cost of losing a baby in America
Even after their babies died, hospital bills kept coming. These parents of fragile, very sick infants faced exorbitant bills — though they had insurance. "The process was just so heartless," one says.
Cancer screenings like colonoscopies are supposed to be free. Hers cost $2,185
Preventive care, like screening colonoscopies, is supposed to be free of charge to patients under the Affordable Care Act. But some hospitals haven't gotten the memo.
Even when IVF is covered by insurance, high bills, surprises and hassles abound
Only 15 states require insurance to cover in vitro fertilization, a pricey path to parenthood. But expensive procedures and drugs can lead to unexpected bills even for the fortunate who are insured.
Hit with $7,146 for two hospital bills, a family sought health care in Mexico
A dad's COVID-19 and a mom's fainting spell cost thousands, so when their son dislocated his shoulder, they drove him to Mexicali, where facilities rival those in the U.S., and had him treated for $5.
The case of the $489,000 air ambulance ride
Diagnosed with aggressive leukemia while on a trip to Wyoming, a man thought his insurance would cover an air ambulance ride home to North Carolina. Instead, he got hit with an astronomical bill.