Tag: Surprise medical bills

dispute surprise medical bills

Surprise Medical Billing Disputes: 5 Essential Steps to Protect Yourself

That sinking feeling when an unexpected, sky-high medical bill lands in your mailbox – it’s a universal experience for many. Welcome to the world of “surprise medical billing,” a frustrating byproduct of our complex healthcare system. Thankfully, new federal protections are in place to shield consumers. But what happens when a surprise bill still sneaks […]
Survey Reveals Key Issues with Challenging Surprise Medical Bills and Coverage Denials

Survey Reveals Key Issues with Challenging Surprise Medical Bills and Coverage Denials

A new study by the health care system reveals a significant gap in consumer healthcare rights. Despite attempts to curb surprise medical bills, a large portion of insured Americans are still receiving unexpected charges. Adding to this problem is the high rate of coverage denials, leaving patients with substantial out-of-pocket costs and causing financial hardship […]
No Surprises Act dispute resolution challenge

No Surprises Act dispute resolution challenge

The AHA and American Medical Association yesterday filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of a Texas Medical Association lawsuit claiming the revised independent dispute resolution process for determining payment for out-of-network services under the No Surprises Act skews the arbitration results in commercial insurers’ favor in ways that violate the compromise Congress reached in the […]
Physicians Collect More From Surprise Medical Bills in ED

Physicians Collect More From Surprise Medical Bills in ED

  Physicians in a hospital’s emergency department (ED) collected significantly more of the charged amount for likely surprise medical bills compared to other patient cases, a new study in Health Affairs reveals. In the event of a likely surprise medical bill, physicians collected 65 percent of the charged amount compared with just 52 percent for other cases. Researchers also […]
Federal Policy to End Surprise Billing

Federal Policy to End Surprise Billing: Building on Prior Approaches

Ending surprise medical bills has risen to a national priority with bipartisan political interest. In January, President Donald Trump directed Cabinet officials to find a solution, and multiple congressional bills were proposed in the last Congress with the same goal. Surprise medical bills consist of unanticipated charges from out-of-network clinicians—often when the facility or primary physician is […]
Surprise Medical Bills are Not Uncommon

Surprise Medical Bills are Not Uncommon

The high cost of medical care is giving some Americans sticker shock. Annual health care spending in the U.S. is estimated to be $3.5 trillion. Hospital costs make up almost a third of that total. And a portion of those costs come as a big surprise. Whether intentional or due to careless mistakes, “surprise” medical charges are […]