Watch: How Patients Get Charged Hospital Prices for Doctor’s Office Care
Health News tamfitronics For five years, Caren Blanzy received the same treatment at the same medical office in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The regular injections gave her relief from involuntary muscle contractions caused by a neurological disorder, she said. Her insurance picked up the tab.Then, the health system that owns her doctor’s office changed how it billed for her treatment — no longer coding it as an office visit, but instead as outpatient hospital services.That change meant Blanzy owed more than $1,100 for one treatment. She said she stopped receiving injections because she could no longer afford them.In this installment of InvestigateTV and KFF Health News’ “Costly Care” series, Caresse Jackman, a national consumer investigative reporter at InvestigateTV, digs into ways that health systems can charge hospital prices for doctor’s office care. This report explores how...
