From Valleynewslive · · 1m 50s
Patients Fight Hospital Facility Fees
Patients and lawmakers challenge hospital facility fees after surprise billing.
In brief
Patients and lawmakers challenge hospital facility fees after surprise billing. Patients and lawmakers push back against hospital facility fees that patients are unaware of until bills arrive. Originally reported by Valleynewslive.
Brad Cardinale's surprise bill
Brad Cardinale paid $800 and $500 facility fees after a pain treatment at Mount Nittany Healthcare.
“We tried things that began with simple, like trigger point injections with, a numbing agent. It didn’t work.”
Facility fees explained
Facility fees are extra charges hospitals add to bills for operational costs, often not disclosed before appointments.
“Patients have complained that the fees are not disclosed before an appointment is made or are disclosed using confusing language.”
Cardinale's frustration
Cardinale spent months calling billing offices but got no answers about why two facility fees were charged.
“It was infuriating, to be honest.”
Virginia patient complaint
Jane Hotchkiss filed a complaint after receiving $312 facility fee she didn't know about until her bill arrived.
“I didn’t know I was paying for room rent when I was going to see the doctor.”
Hospital response
Hospitals say facility fees cover operational costs and are normal billing for procedures.
“This is normal billing for this type of visit and that everything was billed correctly.”
State laws target fees
Over 20 states have passed laws to reform facility fee billing, but rules vary widely across states.
“In Maryland, the Facility Fee Right to Know Act requires hospitals to provide formal notification and disclosures to patients about hospital outpatient clinic charges or facility fees”
Congress examines fees
Congressman Jason Smith chairs committee hearing on hospital fees and wants bipartisan legislation to address facility fees.
“The American people are fed up with outrageous prices that seem artificially high.”
Hospital industry response
American Hospital Association says facility fees are necessary to cover hospital operations and staff.
“So, in an ideal world, health plans would just pay for the care that their enrollees need.”
Fee cap concerns
Hospital industry warns facility fee caps could underfund hospitals and stop services.
“You put a cap on that and unfortunately, you may just not be putting enough into the system.”
Patient reaches deductible
Cardinale paid $3,200 deductible before getting answers about facility fees.
“Our healthcare system in America is fundamentally broken at the moment.”
Call for reform
Patients and lawmakers push for facility fee transparency and reform to prevent surprise billing.
“Nobody knows what these facility fees are going to be until you get your bill in the mail.”
State action needed
Virginia patient hopes for legal changes to require facility fee disclosure before appointments.
“I hope we can talk about some legal changes in Virginia so that people know up front.”
Hospital system response
Hospitals say they will improve billing transparency but won't change facility fee practices.
“We are committed to making healthcare billing clearer and easier for patients to understand.”
What happens next
Patients and lawmakers push for federal reforms to address facility fee transparency and billing practices.
“And I think we can do it in a bipartisan approach. Which I think is super important.”
The takeaway
Patients and lawmakers push back against hospital facility fees that patients are unaware of until bills arrive.
