Medical bill shock gets growing attention in Florida

Medical problems are scary enough, but surprise bills are wiping out savings and leading to bankruptcy, ruined credit and other disasters for consumers – and it’s getting a growing amount of attention from state officials this fall.

Take a Boca Raton woman was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She went to a hospital in her health plan’s network.

What she did not see coming: a surgeon not in the network billed $85,000. To her shock, she was told she had to pay $81,890, on top of other charges and premiums.

Florida insurance consumer advocate Sha’Ron James cited that example among others last week in a forum designed to help Florida legislators take a fresh look at surprise medical bills after efforts to tackle it stalled last spring. Source: http://postnow.blog.palmbeachpost.com/