Just about a week ago, my youngest child, Hadley, had surgery to remove her tonsils and adenoids. The day before surgery, the doctor's office called me to collect $511.25, which was our patient responsibility. The woman from billing was taken back when I asked "Is everyone in Anthem's network?" She even chuckled like, "Will it change anything if someone is?"

Truthfully, it probably wouldn't have changed our mind about getting the surgery, but I certainly would have negotiated a price ahead of time if they were. I know all too well about surprise billing and wanted to make sure I'm not being charged for out-of-network services at an in-network facility.

Complete your profile to continue reading and get FREE access to BenefitsPRO, part of your ALM digital membership.

  • Critical BenefitsPRO information including cutting edge post-reform success strategies, access to educational webcasts and videos, resources from industry leaders, and informative Newsletters.
  • Exclusive discounts on ALM, BenefitsPRO magazine and BenefitsPRO.com events
  • Access to other award-winning ALM websites including ThinkAdvisor.com and Law.com
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.