Uninsured but Undaunted, a Surgical Patient Searched the Globe for a Deal
When surgery became unavoidable, a man with no insurance shopped around for the best price for a hernia repair â and saved thousands by traveling out of state.
Bill of the Month
This crowdsourced investigation by Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health News dissects and explains your medical bills every month in order to shed light on U.S. health care prices and to help patients learn how to be more active in managing costs.
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She Struggled To Get a Lifesaving Drug Even After Insurers Vowed To Help
Margaret Hvatum ended up in the hospital after her insurer denied coverage of a medicine she relies on to boost her immune system. Hvatum got entangled in the preapproval process, which the insurance industry has vowed to improve.
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After Her Bout of Amnesia, a $59,000 Billing Dispute Wouldnât Go Away
Last spring, a woman started exhibiting unusual memory problems after a hike in Arizona. It turns out she was experiencing a disorder called transient global amnesia. She has fully recovered, but a dispute over nearly $60,000 in hospital charges has been a source of stress for over a year.
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An Urgent Care Treated Her Allergic Reaction. An ER Monitored Her â For $6,700.
A bug bite and an allergic reaction ultimately sent a North Carolina woman to the emergency room, where she had a couple of brief chats with a doctor and a dose of medicine. Now she questions why the charges were so high.
By Andrew Jones
Send us your medical bill
Do you have a medical bill that is exorbitant, baffling, infuriating, or all of the above? Send it to us and tell us about your experience.
1 - 20 of 194 Results
Medicaid Work Rules Surprise States
Episode 449Adult Medicaid enrollees with serious health conditions may not be automatically exempt from new work rules, according to a new regulation from the Trump administration. Meanwhile, the administration is also proposing to give political appointees even more power over who gets health and science grant funding. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Liz Essley Whyte of The Wall Street Journal join Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ Lauren Sausser, who wrote the latest âBill of the Month.â
Abortion Pill Politics
Episode 445A federal courtâs decision to restrict availability of the abortion pill mifepristone has launched abortion back into the national spotlight. Itâs also raised new questions about the job security of FDA Commissioner Marty Makary. Sandhya Raman of Bloomberg Law, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also, Rovner interviews Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ Andrew Jones, who wrote the latest âBill of the Month."
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She Owed Her Insurer a Nickel, So It Canceled Her Coverage
When medical bills started rolling in, a teacherâs aide in Florida wondered why her insurance suddenly wasnât covering them. The answer? She owed a balance of 5 cents, so her insurer canceled her policy.
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He Needs an Expensive Drug. A Copay Card Helped â Until It Didnât.
Diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, a California man was prescribed a drug that costs thousands of dollars a month. He said he was reassured that the drugmakerâs copay card would cover his share, but after two months, the card was empty.
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Blurry Line Between Medical and Vision Insurance Leaves Patient With Unexpected Bill
A Wisconsin retiree with glaucoma needed her eyes examined. Her Medicare Advantage plan from UnitedHealthcare listed her optometristâs clinic as in-network, but she learned the hard way that a clinic can be in-network and out-of-network at the same time.
By Tony Leys Culture Wars Take Center Stage
Episode 429With lawmakers still mired over renewing enhanced tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans, much of Washington has turned to culture war issues. Meanwhile, âconfusionâ remains the watchword at HHS as personnel and funding decisions continue to be made and unmade with little notice. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ Elisabeth Rosenthal, who wrote the latest âBill of the Monthâ report.
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Medical Bills Can Be Vexing and Perplexing. Hereâs This Yearâs Best Advice for Patients.
As the crowdsourced investigative series from Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health News approaches its eighth anniversary, âBill of the Monthâ offers its top takeaways of 2025 to help patients manage, decipher, and even fight their medical bills.
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Scorpion Peppers Caused Him âCripplingâ Pain. Two Years Later, the ER Bill Stung Him Again.
Homemade hot sauce sent a Colorado man to the emergency room with what he called âthe worst pain of my life.â But stomach cramps were only the beginning. Two years later, the bill came.
Timeâs Up for Expanded ACA Tax Credits
Episode 427A last-minute push from Democrats and four moderate Republicans will force a House vote on renewing enhanced premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans, but not until January. That means millions will have to choose between paying dramatically more or dropping coverage next year. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially drops the federal recommendation for newborns to receive a hepatitis B shot. Tami Luhby of CNN, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Lizzy Lawrence of Stat join Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Tony Leys, who wrote the latest âBill of the Monthâ feature, and the panel discusses the yearâs biggest developments in health policy.
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Not Serious Enough To Turn on the Siren, Toddlerâs 39-Mile Ambulance Ride Still Cost Over $9,000
After her son contracted a serious bacterial infection, an Ohio mother took the toddler to a nearby ER, and staffers there sent him to a childrenâs hospital in an ambulance. With no insurance, the family was hit with a $9,250 bill for the 40-minute ride.
By Tony Leys The Government Is Open
Episode 422The record-long federal shutdown is over after a small group of Democrats agreed to a deal with most Republicans that funds the government through January â but, notably, does not extend more generous Affordable Care Act tax credits. Plus, new details are emerging about how the Trump administration is using the Medicaid program to advance its policy goals. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ Julie Rovner interviews Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ Julie Appleby, who wrote the latest âBill of the Monthâ feature.
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Doctor Tripped Up by $64K Bill for Ankle Surgery and Hospital Stay
A doctor in Colorado became the patient after an accident totaled her car and sent her to the operating room. The hospital kept her overnight, but her insurer stopped paying after she left the emergency room.
Democrats Make This Shutdown About the ACA
Episode 416The foreshadowed federal shutdown came after Congress failed to pass required spending bills, with Democrats demanding Republicans renew the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies in exchange for their votes. While a shutdown does not affect Medicare and Medicaid, it could eventually hinder activities from every corner of the Department of Health and Human Services. Meanwhile, as Democrats and Republicans point fingers, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pursues policies and personnel that would undermine vaccines. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Bloomberg News join Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ Julie Rovner to discuss the news. Also this week, Rovner interviews Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ Cara Anthony, who wrote a recent âBill of the Monthâ feature about an out-of-network eye surgery that left one kindergartnerâs family with a big bill.
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She Had a Broken Arm, No Insurance â And a $97,000 Bill
Deborah Buttgereit knew piecing together the broken bone in her elbow would be expensive. But complications the doctor deemed a surprise, midsurgery, drove the total bill tens of thousands of dollars above the original estimate.
On Capitol Hill, RFK Defends Firings at CDC
Episode 412A combative Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the U.S. secretary of health and human services, appeared before a Senate committee Thursday, defending his firing of the newly confirmed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as other changes that could limit the availability of vaccines. Meanwhile, Congress has only a few weeks to complete work on annual spending bills to avoid a possible government shutdown and to ward off potentially large increases in premiums for Affordable Care Act health plans. Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ Tony Leys, who discusses his âBill of the Monthâ report about a womanâs unfortunate interaction with a bat â and her even more unfortunate interaction with the bill for her rabies prevention treatment.
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An Insurer Agreed To Cover Her Surgery. A Politicianâs Nudge Got the Bills Paid.
A kindergartner in Missouri needed eye surgery. Her insurer granted approval for her to see a specialist nearby, yet her parents were confused when they still owed more than $13,000. Then her uncle, a former state senator, reached out to a colleague who contacted the hospital and the insurer.
By Cara Anthony -
A Tourist Ended Up With a Wild Bat in Her Mouth â And Nearly $21,000 in Medical Bills
Health insurance generally doesnât cover treatment for injuries sustained shortly before a customer buys a policy. A Massachusetts woman found that out the hard way.
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A Texas Boy Needed Protection From Measles. The Vaccine Cost $1,400.
A family living in Galveston was surprised to be charged thousands of dollars for immunizations for their children. Their insurance plan didnât cover the shots, and the cost of the measles vaccine in particular was more than five times what health officials say it goes for in the private sector.
Trumpâs âOne Big Beautiful Billâ Lands in Senate. Our 400th Episode!
Episode 400The Houseâs gigantic tax-and-spending budget reconciliation bill has landed with a thud in the Senate, where lawmakers are divided in their criticism over whether it increases the deficit too much or cuts Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act too deeply. Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Officeâs estimate that the bill, if enacted, could increase the ranks of the uninsured by nearly 11 million people over a decade wonât make it an easy sell. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ Arielle Zionts, who reported and wrote the latest âBill of the Monthâ feature, about a Medicaid patient who had an out-of-state emergency.
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A Medicaid Patient Had a Heart Attack While Traveling. He Owed Almost $78,000.
Federal law says Medicaid must cover out-of-state emergency care. But a Florida man got a five-figure bill after a South Dakota hospital declined to charge his stateâs Medicaid program.