BY
BY >>
BY >> NOW
BY >> NOW WITH A STORY THAT'S ALL NEW TONIGHT. A TRIP TO
THE HOSPITAL COMES WITH ALL
SORTS OF COMPLICATIONS EVEN
MORE
>> COMPLICATED. THE BILL THAT
COMES AFTER WE HEARD FROM A LOT
OF YOU ABOUT THIS. SO HERE'S
HOW WE DECIDED TO APPROACH THIS
STORY WE HAD 13 NEWS NOW
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER EVAN
WATSON CREATE A SIMULATED
HOSPITAL VISIT. THEN HE ASKED
LOCAL HOSPITALS TO PROVIDE AN
ITEMIZED BILL. AFTER MONTHS OF
BACK AND FORTH TALKS. THIS IS
WHAT HE FOUND OUT.
>> CONFUSED OR SKEPTICAL ABOUT
WHAT YOU PAY FOR AT
THE HOSPITAL YOU ARE NOT ALONE
>> IS IT DIFFICULT TO
UNDERSTAND HOSPITAL IT IS
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO
UNDERSTAND. HOSPITAL BILLING
EVEN FOR PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATE
IN THE HEALTH CARE PROCESS TO
TRY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND
THE SYSTEM. WE SENT A REQUEST
FOR A SAMPLE ITEMIZED BILL FOR
A CHILDBIRTH TO SANTERIA HEALTH
CARE AND SPOKESMAN DALE THIS
>> IS A TYPICAL STAY IN
THE HOSPITAL FOR A NON
COMPLICATED VAGINAL DELIVERY.
HAVING A BABY IN THE HOSPITAL
WITHOUT ANY COMPLICATIONS AT
ALL. 2 DAYS
>> 1 OVERNIGHT STAY A BILL FOR
LABOR AND DELIVERY INCLUDING
SERVICES DRUGS AND POSTPARTUM
SUPPLIES WITH NO COMPLICATION
THE TOTAL COST SIXTEEN THOUSAND
6 HUNDRED AND THIRTY 3 DOLLARS.
ROOM AND BOARD COSTS MORE THAN
FOURTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS A
NIGHT AND NURSERY TIME COSTS
MORE THAN 3 THOUSAND DOLLARS
FOR 2 DAYS GARDENING IS QUICK
TO POINT OUT THAT NO 1 WILL PAY
THIS FULL AMOUNT THEMSELVES. IF
YOU'RE UNINSURED THERE ARE
SIGNIFICANT DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE
AND IF YOU HAVE HEALTH
INSURANCE YOU'LL HAVE A MAXIMUM
OUT-OF-POCKET COST THE MOST
YOU'LL PAY REGARDLESS OF
THE SIZE OF
>> BILL. A NUMBER SPECIALTIES
ARE GONNA COME INTO PLAY. COSTS
ARE GOING TO RISE AND SO IT'S
REALLY HARD TO SAY. IT'S NOT
LIKE BUYING A BOX OF CEREAL
GOING TO THE HOSPITAL IS A
COMPLICATED AFFAIR EVEN FOR A
SEEMINGLY ROUTINE PROCEDURE.
ALL
>> INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE
REQUIRED BY LAW TO PROVIDE COST
CALCULATORS ON THEIR WEBSITES
HOSPITAL SYSTEMS LIKE SINCE
HARRIS A HIGH PRICES ON BILLS
WITHOUT INSURANCE ADJUSTMENTS
CAN SCARE CONSUMERS SO THEY
CHOOSE TO NOT POST SAMPLE BILLS
ONLINE. I THINK
>> THAT PUTTING A SAMPLE BILL
LIKE THIS ON THE WEB SITE IS
TANTAMOUNT TO SAYING THIS IS
WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST YOU.
AND IT'S WAY MORE COMPLICATED
THAN THAT
>> WE DIDN'T JUST ASK CINTRA
FOR INFORMATION. CHESAPEAKE
REGIONAL HEALTH CARE SAID IT
WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO PROVIDE
A SAMPLE ITEMIZED BILL BECAUSE
THERE ARE QUOTE TOO MANY
VARIABLES AFTER SOME DIGGING WE
FOUND AN ITEMIZED BILL FOR AN
UNCOMPLICATED CHILDBIRTH ON
THEIR WEB SITE SHOWING IT WOULD
COST ABOUT TWENTY 2 THOUSAND
DOLLARS. WE FOLLOWED UP AND
ASKED CHESAPEAKE REGIONAL TO
BREAK DOWN SOME OF THOSE COSTS.
A SPOKESWOMAN RESPONDED AND
SAID THEY ARE CORRECTING
INCONSISTENCIES AND ASKED US TO
DISREGARD THE DATA THAT IS
STILL AVAILABLE ON
THE HOSPITAL'S WEB SITE.
THE BONDS THE CORE HEALTH
SYSTEM DECLINED TO PROVIDE ANY
INFORMATION SAYING IT WOULD
OVERSIMPLIFY THE COMPLEX NATURE
OF HOSPITAL BILLING. STARTING
THIS YEAR HOSPITALS ARE NOW
REQUIRED TO POST THEIR CHARGE
MASTERS BUT THE EXTENSIVE EXCEL
SPREADSHEETS WITH THOUSANDS OF
PRICES FOR EACH HOSPITAL
SERVICE ARE FAR FROM CONSUMER
FRIENDLY? IS IT EFFECTIVE
>> IS IT HELPING POSTING THAT
INFORMATION ONLINE. I
>> THINK WE WOULD SAY THERE IS
NO BENEFIT TO CONSUMERS TO
LOOKING AT THE CHARGE MASTER.
WE THINK THAT IT ADDS TO
THE CONFUSION ABOUT HEALTH CARE
COSTS
>> HOW CAN WE FIND A SYSTEM
THAT HAS THAT TRANSPARENCY OF
POSTING COSTS THAT DOESN'T ADD
TO THE CONFUSION. WHERE'S
THE MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN THOSE
2. I
>> DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS AND
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IN
THE BUSINESS KNOWS WHERE IT IS
RIGHT NOW. GORDON
>> SAYS PROPOSALS TO PUT
ULTIMATE CONSUMER PRICING ON
HOSPITAL WEB SITES WOULD BE TOO
DIFFICULT AND INVOLVE FAR TOO
MANY HEALTH PLAN DESIGNS.
>> THAT'S JUST AN AVALANCHE OF
INFORMATION THAT MOST PEOPLE
WOULD FIND VERY DIFFICULT TO
NAVIGATE HOW CAN WE SIMPLIFY
ALL OF THIS? I DON'T KNOW? WE
WORK IN A VERY WE DIDN'T INVENT
THE SYSTEM THAT WE WORK IN BUT
WE HAVE TO FUNCTION WITHIN IT
AND UNTIL SOMETHING BETTER
COMES ALONG THIS IS THIS IS
WHAT WE'RE STUCK
>> WITH. GOD TAKEAWAY
>> IS THIS. FIND THE COST
CALCULATOR ON YOUR HEALTH
INSURANCE PLANS WEBSITE TO
ESTIMATE YOUR BILL AND FIND
THE MAXIMUM THAT YOU WOULD PAY.
AND IF YOU'RE UNINSURED.
INVESTIGATE THE HOSPITALS