A mother received a surprise ER bill even though her daughter did not receive treatment beyond the waiting room.
In December 2023, Maggi Wettstein’s young daughter, Ryan, awoke in distress.
Three-year-old Ryan was inconsolable, leading her mother to suspect a yeast infection or UTI. Concerned, Maggi took her to Carle Health Methodist Hospital at about 10:30 pm.
The emergency room was relatively quiet upon their arrival, and Ryan was promptly checked in.
Ryan’s symptoms were described, and she was sent for triage, where a nasal swab for COVID-19 was administered.
While waiting, Maggi noticed Ryan had calmed down and was no longer crying. Since it was late and Ryan had preschool the next day, they decided to leave.
Maggi stated there was no one at the desk to formally check them out, so they departed without further ado.
Almost eight months later, the family was reminded of the ER visit when they received a substantial bill from the hospital.
Despite only receiving a nasal swab test, the bill totaled an astonishing $445, as reported by KFF Health News.
After applying an insurance discount, the bill was reduced to just over $298, but Maggi found this excessive, considering Ryan never saw a doctor.
Given that Walgreens offers similar COVID and flu tests for as little as $30, Maggi questioned the justification for the hefty ER bill.
She described the charge as ‘mind-blowing’ and contacted the hospital’s billing department to dispute it.
Although she hoped it was an error, the charge was confirmed, leaving Maggi responsible for the payment.
Commenting on the exorbitant bill, Loren Adler, associate director at the Brookings Institution Center on Health Policy, remarked that the hospital likely made a ‘pretty healthy markup.’
Adler noted that the hospital is ‘leveraging their market power to maximize profits, while insurance companies are not effectively countering.’
In response to inquiries from KFF Health News, a Carle Health spokesperson stated: “We adhere to policies prioritizing patient safety and wellbeing, which includes the initial triage of symptomatic patients in the Emergency Department.”