Many Patients Facing Surprise Medical Bills Just Give In And Pay Rather Than Undertake Behemoth Battle Against Charges

There's a growing scrutiny over what to do about surprise medical bills, that may be more common than people think. Often times, faced with mountains of paperwork and an endless black hole of phone calls to insurers, patients just pay the charges. But that may eventually change as legislation is introduced to curb the practice.

Boston Globe: Patients Express Frustration Over Surprise Medical Bills

This year, it happened again: Reidel underwent a colonoscopy at Norwood Hospital — which is fully covered by her insurance plan — only to discover that the anesthesiologist who worked there was not. The bill: $2,490. What happened after Reidel, 64, received these unexpected medical charges illustrates one of the most frustrating and unpredictable aspects of the health care system: It was only after dozens of phone calls and numerous letters to insurance companies and the providers that she got these bills dismissed. (Kowalczyk, 4/13)

In other health costs news —

WBUR: Coalition Argues Drug Payment Caps Are Best Solution To Excessive Prices

The latest plan to control rising drug prices in Massachusetts is also the most controversial. It would set so-called upper payment limits on drugs that state regulators deem unreasonably expensive. No one — including doctors, pharmacies, hospitals, health insurers and patients — could be required to pay more than that cap. (Bebinger, 4/12)

In case you missed it: Make sure to check out Kaiser Health News' special coverage on surprisingly high medical bills.

This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.

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