Getting To The Bottom Of Hospital Bills’ ‘Gross Charges’

Philadelphia Inquirer: Limiting 'Gross Charges' On Hospital Bills
Robert D'Amicodatri had two strokes, complicated by seizures, and rang up $374,741 in charges at Crozer-Chester Medical Center early in 2009. Three years later, in February, the Delaware County hospital sued him for $241,321, the balance after an insurance policy paid $20,998 and the hospital reduced his bill by $112,422 for a reason it has declined to explain. … D'Amicodatri's hospital bills mounted before the Affordable Care Act took effect began taking effect in 2010, but the landmark law has a provision now in effect designed to eliminate, for some uninsured or underinsured patients at least, jaw-dropping bills like D'Amicodatri's that are based on astronomical "gross charges." Instead, hospitals are supposed to charge the uninsured no more than they would receive from Medicare or commercial insurers (Brubaker, 6/10).