Category: Bill Of The Month

Ever Heard of a Surgical Assistant? Meet a New Boost to Your Medical Bills

A college student’s bill for outpatient knee surgery is a whopper — $96K — but the most mysterious part is a $1,167 charge from a health care provider she didn’t even know was in the operating room.

COVID Catch-22: They Got A Big ER Bill Because Hospitals Couldn’t Test For Virus

Americans who had coronavirus symptoms in March and April are getting big hospital bills — because they were not sick enough to get then-scarce COVID tests. Some insurers say they are trying to correct these bills, but patients may have to put up a fight.

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?

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.

‘An Arm And A Leg’: If Insurer Bills You For COVID Testing, Talk — And Maybe Tweet — It Out

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act requires private insurers to pay for certain services related to coronavirus testing at no cost to the patient. But gaps in the protections expose patients to unexpected medical bills.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Watch: Woman Hit With $28K Bill For A Throat Swab

A routine doctor’s visit for a sore throat brought more than $28,000 in charges for one New York City woman in our latest “Bill of the Month” installment.