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.
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Then, the health system that owns her doctors 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 doctors office care. This report explores how that care may look no different to the patient other than the cost.
Jackmans story features an interview with Elisabeth Rosenthal, KFF Health News senior contributing editor. We see this over and over again, the rebranding of doctors offices, of outpatient clinics as hospitals for the purpose of billing, Rosenthal said.
Caresse Jackman, InvestigateTV: @CaresseJ Related Topics Health Care Costs Health Industry Multimedia States Hospitals Michigan Video Contact Us Submit a Story Tip
