Uninsured but Undaunted, a Surgical Patient 吃瓜不打烊ed the Globe for a Deal
When surgery became unavoidable, a man with no insurance shopped around for the best price for a hernia repair 鈥 and saved thousands by traveling out of state.
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This crowdsourced investigation by 吃瓜不打烊 dissects and explains your medical bills every month in order to shed light on U.S. health care prices and to help patients learn how to be more active in managing costs.
When surgery became unavoidable, a man with no insurance shopped around for the best price for a hernia repair 鈥 and saved thousands by traveling out of state.
Margaret Hvatum ended up in the hospital after her insurer denied coverage of a medicine she relies on to boost her immune system. Hvatum got entangled in the preapproval process, which the insurance industry has vowed to improve.
Do you have a medical bill that is exorbitant, baffling, infuriating, or all of the above? Send it to us and tell us about your experience.
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A New York City woman, worried that her sore throat might be strep, got swabbed at her doctor鈥檚 office. The sample was sent to an out-of-network lab for sophisticated DNA tests 鈥 with a price tag similar to a new SUV.
A 3-year-old girl put matching doll shoes up her nose. One came out easily. The second required an emergency department visit 鈥 and generated a bill that is not child鈥檚 play.
KHN editor and correspondent Laura Ungar appeared on Illinois Public Media鈥檚 鈥淭he 21st鈥 to discuss her reporting for the latest KHN-NPR Bill of the Month installment.
CBS This Morning reports on the latest KHN-NPR Bill of the Month.
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.
She spent five days in the hospital undergoing psychiatric care. The bill she got is about the same price as a new Honda Civic.
After a test to rule out cancer, Brianna Snitchler faced a $2,170 facility fee for the hospital鈥檚 radiology room used that day.
One groom鈥檚 bachelor party hangover illustrates how emergency room bills have become major headaches for many Americans.
Patients are often told to be smart consumers and shop around for health care before they use it. What happens when people actually take that advice?
After journalists investigate, Fresenius, one of the largest dialysis providers in the U.S., has agreed to waive a half-million-dollar bill. Sovereign Valentine, from Plains, Mont., said it鈥檚 a 鈥渉uge relief.鈥
When it comes to physician-administered infusion drugs, doctors sometimes have a financial reason for their choice and patients often aren鈥檛 aware of cheaper options.
After reporting by KHN, NPR and CBS, Fresenius has agreed to waive a Montana man鈥檚 huge bill for out-of-network dialysis care.
CBS This Morning covers the highest KHN-NPR Bill of the Month yet: more than half a million dollars for just 14 weeks of kidney dialysis in Montana.
Kaiser Health News gives you a user-friendly toolkit to help patients understand some of the ins and outs of medical billing, what to do if you receive a surprise medical bill and things to keep in mind before getting medical care.
He needed the lifesaving treatment 鈥 he never expected a half-million-dollar bill for 14 weeks of care.
Under federal law, people who have been raped don鈥檛 have to pay for medical forensic exams, yet many get billed and have trouble getting the hospitals or collection agencies to stop dunning them for payment.
A new state law says hospitals and insurers will have to work it out among themselves when they can鈥檛 agree on a price -- instead of sending huge bills to patients. 鈥淏ill of the Month鈥 patient Drew Calver galvanized attention on the issue after he told his story to KHN, NPR and "CBS This Morning."
A service called neuromonitoring can cut the risk of nerve damage during delicate surgery. But some patients are receiving unexpected and large bills for the service.
As nitrous oxide makes a comeback for pain relief during childbirth, one medical professional fights back over an overblown charge for using it.
The snake struck a 9-year-old hiker at dusk on a nature trail. The outrageous bills struck her parents a few weeks later.
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