Frustrated Americans Turning To Social Media To Connect With Other Patients, Offer Tips For Sky-High Bills
“I thought, ‘What if people out there don’t know that they have the right to tell those people to screw off?’” said Shaunna Burns, whose TikTok video helped a 22-year-old woman get her hospital bill reduced to zero.
The New York Times:
Overwhelmed By Medical Bills, And Finding Help On TikTok
When severe pain sent Eva Zavala to an emergency room last March, her treatment involved an ultrasound and some blood work. Her visit left her with a medical bill for more than a thousand dollars, after insurance. It was an overwhelming cost for Ms. Zavala, 22, a medical assistant in Oregon. She had barely made a dent in the total amount she owed when, several months later, she came across a video on TikTok. (Fortin, 1/16)
KHN's Bill Of The Month: Check out KHN's special coverage on surprisingly high medical bills.
In other health care costs news —
Modern Healthcare:
Hospital Costs Targeted By New State Policy Center
A nonpartisan health policy brain trust is shifting gears in 2020 to help state lawmakers tackle hospital costs, and the switch is funded by a Texas billionaire couple who have become major players in the national healthcare policy debate. The National Academy for State Health Policy late last year created a new center to help states address healthcare system costs. The center plans within the next month to release between eight and 12 pieces of model legislation to help states lower healthcare spending, academy Executive Director Trish Riley said. (Cohr, 1/14)
