GREENSBORO, N.C. — Imagine this: Your doctor schedules a procedure and insurance covers everything except the copay. Great. But then you get a massive bill because of something called a facility fee.
It's happening to more and more people. One man says he went to his doctor to get an X-ray and a cortisone shot for bursitis. A few weeks later he got a bill for more than $3,000 from a nearby hospital.
Hospitals are buying up urgent cares and private practices. And people are getting charged when they use facilities and staff that are under the hospital's umbrella.
We checked with some local hospitals to see if they use the fees. A Cone Health representative says they don't use them at doctor's offices or urgent care centers. But they may charge them at specialized care centers like cancer centers, sleep centers, or other places where they share hospital services.
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So how do you avoid it? Check with your insurer to see what their policy is. Most don't cover facility fees or only cover a portion. And when you make an appointment ask if you'll be charged a facility fee. And if you're referred to a specialist ask your insurer what you'll be charged.