Bill of the Month
KFF Health News, in collaboration with The Washington Post, examines and decodes your perplexing medical bills.
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Americans are split over many issues, but helping people with cancer and other serious illnesses retains broad bipartisan support.
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Bill Of The Month
COVID-Like Cough Sent Him To ER — Where He Got A $3,278 Bill
A dad in Denver tried to do everything right when COVID symptoms surfaced. Still, he ended up with a huge bill from an insurer that had said it waived cost sharing for coronavirus treatment. What gives?
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Congress Said COVID-19 Tests Should Be Free — But Who’s Paying?
Some large employers interpreted themselves as exempt from new federal laws that say tests for the coronavirus should be free to patients. Large academic medical centers are holding back from sending bills to these patients to avoid a backlash over surprise billing.
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COVID Tests Are Free, Except When They’re Not
Her doctor worried she had COVID-19 but couldn’t test her for it until she ruled out other things. That test cost a bundle.
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Her Genetic Test Revealed A Microscopic Problem — And A Jumbo Price Tag
Molecular diagnostics are at the frontier of science, but insurance and billing questions create a minefield for patients.
By Liz Szabo -
Hormone Blocker Shocker: Drug Costs 8 Times More When Used For Kids
Two drug implants are nearly identical. The one for children has a list price of $37,300. For adults, the list price is $4,400. One dad fought for his daughter to be able to use the cheaper drug.
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Appendicitis Is Painful — Add A $41,212 Surgery Bill To The Misery
A young man averted medical disaster after a friend took him to the nearest hospital just before his appendix burst. But more than a year later, he’s still facing a $28,000 balance bill for his out-of-network surgery.
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Hospital Group Mum As Members Pursue Patients With Lawsuits And Debt Collectors
The influential trade association has said little over the years as health systems, including those of its own trustees, seized patients’ incomes and assets. Now it is reevaluating.
By Jay Hancock -
Electronic Health Records Creating A ‘New Era’ Of Health Care Fraud
The federal government funneled billions in subsidies to software vendors and some overstated or deceived the government about what their products could do, according to whistleblowers.
By Fred Schulte and Erika Fry, Fortune -
Paying It Forward: ‘Bill Of The Month’ Series, A Vital Toolkit For Patients, Wraps Year 2
In our ongoing, crowdsourced investigation with NPR and CBS, we’ve armed future health system pilgrims with the tools they need to avoid exorbitant medical bills and fight back against unfair charges. Here’s a look back at 2019’s stories.
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For Her Head Cold, Insurer Coughed Up $25,865
A New York City woman, worried that her sore throat might be strep, got swabbed at her doctor’s office. The sample was sent to an out-of-network lab for sophisticated DNA tests ― with a price tag similar to a new SUV.
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Medical Device Failures Brought To Light Now Bolster Lawsuits And Research
Millions of injuries and malfunctions once funneled into a hidden Food and Drug Administration database are now available.
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Nothing To Sneeze At: The $2,659 Bill To Pluck Doll’s Shoe From Child’s Nostril
A 3-year-old girl put matching doll shoes up her nose. One came out easily. The second required an emergency department visit ― and generated a bill that is not child’s play.
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UVA Doctors Decry Aggressive Billing Practices By Their Own Hospital
In the wake of a Kaiser Health News investigation, doctors want the University of Virginia’s health system to stop suing its patients over unpaid bills.
By Jay Hancock -
Watch: When Insurance Doesn’t Cover A Mental Health Crisis
CBS This Morning reports on the latest KHN-NPR Bill of the Month.
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The Air Ambulance Billed More Than His Surgeon Did For A Lung Transplant
After Tom Saputo underwent double lung transplant surgery in 2018, he was stunned by a surprise bill of more than $11,000 for the 27-mile air ambulance ride to the hospital. State and federal proposals would crack down on extreme air ambulance charges, including a new California law that will limit how much some patients pay for air ambulance rides.
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FDA Keeps Brand-Name Drugs On A Fast Path To Market ― Despite Manufacturing Concerns
The agency approved Gilead’s “game changer” hepatitis C cure, bypassing concerns raised by its own federal inspectors.
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As UVA Scales Back Lawsuits, Pain For Past Patients Persists
Patients were thrilled last month when UVA announced it would scale back lawsuits and provide more financial assistance, but the excitement has waned.
By Jay Hancock -
Grief Grew Into A Mental Health Crisis And A $21,634 Hospital Bill
She spent five days in the hospital undergoing psychiatric care. The bill she got is about the same price as a new Honda Civic.
By Laura Ungar -
A Million-Dollar Marketing Juggernaut Pushes 3D Mammograms
Companies are aggressively touting 3D mammograms, although there’s no evidence they save lives.
By Liz Szabo -
Sen. Grassley Questions UVA Health On Findings From KHN Investigation
A letter from the Senate Finance Committee chairman questions the University of Virginia Health System about its financial assistance policies, billing practices and prices.