How To Tame Outrageous Health Costs

Overcharged and overwhelmed? You're not alone.

Maskot/Getty Images Are Parents On The Hook For An Adult Son's Unpaid Medical Debt? Probably not, columnist Michelle Andrews tells a worried reader. "Normally, if you're 18 or older, you're considered the responsible party, even if you're insured under your parents' policy," Richard Gundling of the Healthcare Financial Management Association explains.   Allison Shelley Meanwhile, A $1,877 Ear Piercing -- Really? A surgeon told a woman she could pierce her 5-year-old daughter’s ears while the little girl was having routine surgery for something else. Afterward, the hospital charged more than $1,800 for the service, and insurance refused to pay. It’s an extreme case of a common event known as “overuse” charges, ProPublica’s Marshall Allen says. For months, our partners at ProPublica, have been delving into cases of waste and overcharging in U.S. health care – a $765 billion problem annually. In a second Shots post this week, Allen cites seven ways to protect yourself from outrageous bills. Among his tips: Make sure the proposed test or treatment is necessary. Ask what might happen if you don't get the service right away. Demand an itemized bill and then look at each specific charge. Medical bills are often riddled with errors. If the ultimate bill is way more than you can afford, ask whether the provider has a financial assistance policy, which could result in a sliding scale discount. Many people qualify, and discounts can range from 20 percent to 70 percent. Brad Wilson/Getty Images How The Feds Could Slash Drug Prices The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine get surprisingly political this week, with dozens of ideas on how to bring down prescription drug costs. Among the suggestions: Congress could start with passing a law that permits the federal government to negotiate lower prices for Medicare drugs -- the same way it sets prices for defense equipment, uniforms and other products it buys. Lawmakers could also use the tax law to discourage all those expensive ads for prescription drugs. As NPR health reporter Alison Kodjak notes, “Pharmaceutical companies spend far more advertising their medication than they do on research into new products.” We’re continuing to dig into the ways the economics of health care affect patients and families all around the U.S. If you have particular concerns or stories that need telling please write to us at shots@npr.org. Thanks! Your Shots editor, Deborah Franklin   You received this message because you're subscribed to our Health emails. |  Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002