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PATIENT FAIRNESS IN THE NEWS
"With the help of services like Patient Fairness ... patients have an easier path to advocate for fair treatment... When patients stand up against inflated or incorrect charges, it sends a strong message to providers about the importance of billing integrity."
MEDICAL BILLING NEWS
Keep abreast of news and information on medical billing and its impact on patients and consumers.
Current Month
A Reddit post in the r/PovertyFinance community recently blew up after a user shared how one five-minute form resulted in their entire medical debt being forgiven. The post has since gone viral with thousands of upvotes and hundreds of comments from people with similar stories.
- Yahoo
- Fountain Hills Times Independent
About 30 million Americans report borrowing money to pay for healthcare in the past year
- Gallup
- InsuranceNewsNet
- NPR
A bill that would prohibit surprise billing for ambulance services was filed recently in the Alabama Legislature in hopes that it will, at minimum, serve as a negotiating tool to compel health insurance companies to expand their coverage for such services.
- Alabama Daily News
Kerry Morgan says the unwanted and entirely unexpected credit card dinged her credit score by 16 points.
- MSN
- WCNC
The TikTok comedian called out local California governments for enacting extra first responder fees on top of their taxes and healthcare costs
- Fox News
A bill in the Nevada Legislature aims to reduce the cost of hospital stays for patients in the Public Employees’ Benefits Program by capping hospital fees, which proponents argue could save the state millions of dollars.
- Las Vegas Review-Journal
- InsuranceNewsNet.com
- NPR
The Senate has passed similar bills twice in recent years, but both bills went nowhere in the House in the face of intense lobbying by the hospital industry.
- WCNC
- News 10 NBC
- Yahoo News
A bill contends it could reduce the cost of hospital stays for patients in the Public Employees' Benefits Program by capping hospital fees.
- Las Vegas Review-Journal
Bill sponsors say this is a solution to struggling community health centers, but hospital leaders claim the caps could be "catastrophic."
- Denver 7 ABC
Lori Mangum was 32 when apple-sized tumors sprouted on her head. Now — six years and 10 surgeries later — the skin cancer is gone. But her pain lives on, in the form of medical debt.
- NPR
Fed-up patients facing astronomical medical bills are fighting back against hospitals and insurance companies with a secret weapon: artificial intelligence.
- New York Post
From $35 pillows to a million-dollar bill, here are some of the most shocking experiences.
- Yahoo
- Spotlight PA
About 30 million Americans report borrowing money to pay for healthcare in the past year
- Gallup
The average medical debt on 15 million Americans’ credit reports is more than $3,100.
- Aberdeen Newx
Despite over 90% of the United States population having some form of health insurance, medical debt remains a persistent problem.
- Health System Tracker
Supporters of the move say an increase in competition will lower prices for consumers. But given the complexity of hospital pricing, experts question whether it will be that simple.
- NBC News
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today introduced a resolution to overturn a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule removing medical debt and medical bills from credit reports.
- ABA Banking Journal
Two congressman have been branded ‘callous’ by introducing bill in Congress.
- Investment News
A California father saw a medical bill more than double after providing his insurance information. Robert Witt, whose TikTok video detailing the price jump went viral, tells “Morning in America” that there has to be “a more simple way” to handle insurance in America.
- News Nation
- WHIO
A Portland family argues that their $430 walking boot illustrates the problem of inflated costs in health care, where prices are obscure and detached from reality.
- KGW8
277 consumer advocate groups join in opposition to the attempt
- ConsumerAffairs
- The Coast News Group
Doctors in New York will have to discuss treatment costs upfront with patients under a new law.
- NPR
Colorado bill would remake federal program that subsidizes hospitals in bid to lower patients’ costs
A bill in the Colorado legislature would remake a federal subsidy for hospitals into a tool to lower patients’ health care costs, if it can get past stiff industry opposition.
- The Denver Post / Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
An Indiana hospital seeking to take over its rival won a reprieve when lawmakers watered down a bill that threatened the proposed deal. But now it faces a likely showdown with the state’s new governor.
- U.S. News / KFF Health News
At least a half dozen states are racing to limit or put new checks on private equity-fueled mergers in health care, signaling mounting concern about the influence of corporate medicine.
- AXIOS
The nonprofit health system did not admit to wrongdoing as part of the settlement, nor will it pay a financial penalty.
- Healthcare Dive
Most U.S. hospitals offer some relief to patients who struggle to pay their bills. These charity care or financial assistance programs can cover all or part of the cost of an outstanding medical bill. The catch? Hospitals and health systems themselves largely decide how their programs work and who qualifies, which can limit access to this help. That variance also creates a patchwork of eligibility criteria across providers.
- Spotlight PA
- East Idaho News
The Affordable Act requires most hospitals to adobe charity care policies. But most hospitals usually don't alert their patients about that. FOX 26's Randy Wallace learned about a nonprofit who helps patients reduce their debt.
- FOX 26
Union Health is making a new bid to Indiana regulators to buy its rival hospital in Terre Haute as the door looks poised to close on such deals.
- KFF Health News
Senate Bill 316 seeks to give people more information to help them make health care. Some lawmakers questioned whether it could be enforced.
- WRAL
Non-profit institutions are no help
- The Economist
Hospital administrators like Baptist Health Floyd’s Michael Schroyer and Goshen Health’s Randy Christophel urged senators to reconsider a bill establishing “price caps” on their services.
- Indiana Capital Chronicle
- Fortune
- Time
- Washington State Journal
Non-profit hospitals in Indiana would be punished for charging too much if a bill passed out of the Senate Health and Provider Services Committee Wednesday, becomes law.
- 5.3 MNC
Here’s what you need to know to deduct eligible medical costs from your taxable income.
- CNBC
This legislation aims to provide adequate Medicare reimbursement for emergency service providers, helping them hire and retain EMT staff.
- Alabama Political Reporter
- Concord Monitor
Researchers blame these insurance denials on surging costs, insurance companies and the federal No Surprises Act.
- Denver 7 ABC
A bill that seeks to restrict surprise billing by health care providers has passed the state Senate. The bill now goes to the House, which has rejected similar proposals in the past.
- WRAL
The House voted, 250-85, to approve House Bill 316, which seeks to end balance billing.
- New Hampshire Bulletin
Americans borrowed an estimated $74 billion to cover medical expenses, according to a West Health-Gallup survey.
- Action News 5
The Senate-approved version removes enforcement provisions.
- The Washington State Standard
- KPIC
The North Carolina Senate passed a comprehensive bill Thursday aimed at increasing transparency in health care billing, lowering costs, and speeding up the process of prior authorization for medical services.
- News and Observer
When Tim Winard left his job to launch his own business, he was concerned about the potential cost of an Affordable Care Act plan and instead chose a short-term policy. But after undergoing a colonoscopy, Winard received a bill for more than $7,000. Short-term plans do not have to cover preventive care, and benefits can vary, with some setting dollar caps on certain types of care.
- KFF Health News
North Dakota lawmakers are considering a new bill that would require hospitals and health care facilities to publicly post the cost of their services. House Bill 1594 aims to give patients clear information about prices before they receive care.
- KX News
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