Patients Should Watch Out for Surprise Bills for Medical Care

Surprise bills for medical care are more common than patients might think.

Patients who go to a hospital within their health insurance plan network often find themselves with a bill stating that they were treated with doctors outside of their network. According to a study from the Yale School of Public Health and Yale School of Management, these surprise bills for medical care average over $622 per patient.

The study also states that these surprise bills for medical care affect 22% of emergency room patients, with the majority of patients alleging they were not aware that their insurance would not cover their treatment based on their treatment doctors.

Even though most of these surprise bills for medical care occur during emergency situations, like emergency room visits, patients can find themselves stuck with these expenses even with extensive research done beforehand.

Patients have reported getting these bills even if their doctors and hospital are based within their health insurance network.

Overview of Surprise Bills for Medical Care

As the indicated, surprise bills for medical care occur when patients assume they would be covered by insurance after being cared for in the hospital in their healthcare insurance network.

However, these surprise bills occur if the doctor, laboratory, outpatient facility or other component of the patient’s treatment does not fall into their health insurance network. Given that patients go to a hospital in their health insurance network, it is reasonable for them to assume they will not be billed for expensive medical treatment.

Oftentimes, these surprise bills for medical care accumulate during emergency situations where patients do not have the time or mindset to determine whether or not different physicians or labs may land in their health insurance network.

However, there are measures for surprise bills for medical care that significantly help patients contend with these expenses.

• Patients should take comprehensive action that pertains to different emergency room and routine hospital visits that may result in surprise bills for medical care, and see which doctors or labs may fall within their healthcare insurance network.
• Patients can take federal action that addresses that they are covered either by their own funded ERISA plans or authorizes the state to take preventative measures.
• Hospitals or other healthcare facilities can improve communications or notice to patients about treatment scenarios that land outside of the health insurance network which will prevent surprise bills for medical care.
• Lawmakers can implement measures that protect patients from being held accountable for surprise bills for medical care.
• Regulators should encourage hospitals and their physicians to participate in the patient’s health insurance network, so more treatments can be covered.
• Patients should choose different conflict resolutions, including legal recourse, to help negotiate a solution for their surprise bills for medical care.

Patients who are hit with surprise bills for medical care may be able to dispute them as they were most likely not aware their physicians were not covered by their health insurance. Patients who are affected by this should contact a specialized lawyer to determine their options.

Join a Free Surprise Medical Bills Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you received a bill from an out-of-network doctor after being treated at an in-network hospital, you may qualify to file a surprise medical bill lawsuit or class action lawsuit. It’s absolutely free to take part in an initial consultation, so act now!

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