medical bills

Suzanne and Jim Rybak, inside the craft room where their son, Jameson, would encourage Suzanne to make colorful beach bags, received a $4,928 medical bill months after it was supposedly resolved.

Never-ending costs: When resolved medical bills keep popping up

5:01am April 06, 2022

by Aneri Pattani | KAISER HEALTH NEWS

A family received a $4,928 bill that was settled with the health system 18 months earlier, resurrecting painful memories. Hospital billing experts say this distressing scenario occurs frequently.

Ely Bair had two medically necessary jaw surgeries. For the first, in 2018, his share of the bill was $3,000. For the second, in 2019 after a job change, he was billed $27,000, even though he had the same insurance carrier.

Same Hospital And Insurer, But The Bill For His 2nd Jaw Procedure Was $24,000 More

12:17pm August 27, 2021

by Phil Galewitz

To realign the man's jaw and ease his chronic pain and high blood pressure, he would need two operations, the surgeon said. Both procedures went well, but the patient was shocked by the second bill.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center bought the hospital in Lebanon, Tenn., from Community Health Systems in 2019, but the latter is still suing former patients over unpaid medical bills.

A Health Care Giant Sold Off Dozens Of Hospitals — But Continued Suing Many Patients

4:39pm July 26, 2021

by Blake Farmer

As Community Health Systems has downsized, what remain are like zombie hospitals – little more than legal entities still taking patients to court even though the new owners don't sue.

Jameson Rybak, son of Jim and Suzanne Rybak of Florence, S.C., struggled with opioid addiction and died of an overdose on June 9, 2020 — three months after he left a hospital ER because he feared he couldn't afford treatment.

A Tragic Death Shows How ERs Fail Patients Who Struggle With Addiction

11:00am July 14, 2021

by Aneri Pattani

ER doctors wanted to hospitalize the young man to help ease his withdrawal from opioid dependence. But he declined because he couldn't afford it. His mom says no one told him he had financial options.

Truck driver José Mendoza has a Humana HMO plan through his employer. It has a $5,000 deductible and 50% coinsurance, leaving him financially vulnerable.

Health & Safety

A $10,322 Tab For A Sleep Apnea Study Is Enough To Wreck One Patient's Rest

4:21pm May 27, 2021

by Michelle Andrews

The University of Miami Health System charged truck driver José Mendoza six times what Medicare would pay for an overnight test. He got trapped by his high-deductible health plan and sky-high billing.

Queue Listen Now

The nearly 5,600-page legislative package that Congress passed in December includes new laws regarding aid to rural hospitals, funds for training more physicians, modest improvements in mental health care parity, and medical bill transparency.

Beyond COVID-19: 4 Other Key Health Issues Congress Recently Addressed

5:00am January 28, 2021

by Emmarie Huetteman

The huge spending bill Congress passed last month included aid to rural hospitals, training for new doctors, new rules regarding mental health coverage and requirements for billing transparency.

Once the rules for implementing it are worked out, a bill signed into federal law in December will eliminate the required five-month waiting period for diagnosed ALS patients to begin disability benefits, enabling quicker Medicare coverage as well.

ALS Patients To Gain Quicker Access To Disability Benefits And Medicare

5:00am January 20, 2021

by Michelle Andrews

Lou Gehrig's disease can take months to diagnose, then rapidly incapacitate patients, leaving many families bankrupt before disability payments and Medicare kick in. A recent law aims to change that.

Adam Woodrum and his son, Robert, get ready for a bike ride near their home in Carson City, Nev., this month. During the summer, Robert had a bike accident that resulted in a hefty bill from the family's insurer.

A Kid, A Minor Bike Accident And A $19,000 Medical Bill

4:01pm November 25, 2020

by Julie Appleby

It was a surprise even for a family of lawyers. A process called "subrogation" began with a Nevada family's health insurer denying their claim for an ER visit after their 9-year-old fell off his bike.

When Tiffany Qiu found herself on the hook for her usual 30% Blue Shield of California coinsurance after the hospital quoted 20%, she pushed back.

Health & Safety

Hit With An Unexpectedly High Medical Bill, Here's How A Savvy Patient Fought Back

11:05am October 27, 2020

by Anna Almendrala

When the hospital tried to bill her for more than what she'd been quoted, Tiffany Qiu refused to pay the extra amount and the bill went to collections. She still didn't back down.

Queue Listen Now

When Angela Settles' husband, Darius, got sick with COVID-19, he was worried about medical bills. He worked two jobs but had no health insurance.

Hospital Bills For Uninsured COVID-19 Patients Are Covered, But No One Tells Them

1:10pm October 22, 2020

by Blake Farmer

The CARES Act provides funds to pay medical bills for uninsured COVID-19 patients. But a young man's death in Nashville, Tenn., shows people often don't know about the program until it's too late.