Deidre Waxman from Massachusetts has been going to the same Diabetes Center for care for 12 years. In November 2022, that facility was bought by Beth Israel Lahey Health and two months later, Deidre received a notice that said as a result of the merger, her “medical care would be enhanced” and she could expect the cost of her care to increase. Deidre was perfectly… read more.
Linda Ragusa had a tumor on her optic nerve. She had surgery to remove part of the tumor, and in 2016, Linda began 6 weeks of radiation therapy to shrink the tumor and allow her to live a more normal, pain-free life. When it came to her insurance coverage, Linda did everything right. She spoke to her insurance company in advance about her radiation treatment… read more.
When Brittany Tesso’s then-3-year-old son, Roman, needed an evaluation for speech therapy in 2021, his pediatrician referred him to Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora. With in-person visits on hold due to the covid-19 pandemic, the Tessos met with a panel of specialists via video chat. The specialists, some of whom appeared to be calling from their homes, observed Roman speaking, playing with toys, and eating… read more.
Colorado hospitals say they can’t survive without facility fees but some patients say they may avoid medical care because they can’t afford the rising cost of facility fees. The Problem Solvers’ investigation into facility fees began with Michael Kark, a Greenwood Village dad whose son’s therapy session came with an extra $500 facility fee. “There was literally just a lamp and a couch,” Kark remembered. Read… read more.
Sierra Kent went to the emergency room at Northern Light EMMC for suspected appendicitis. Before going to the ER, she consulted with several of her doctor friends, and they recommended that she visit the ER because it could be a matter of life and death. Once she was at the ER, Sierra spent all but a few minutes in the waiting room. she was given… read more.
When Lindsey Messinger had to spend the night in Poudre Valley Hospital earlier this year, the last thing she was worried about was the cost — until she saw that cost. One line item in particular stood out: the UCHealth charge for a pneumonia vaccine a nurse had recommended. “I thought maybe someone entered that in wrong,” Messinger said. “Maybe there’s an extra digit that… read more.
