, 2015
Many people with health insurance know a good way to avoid surprise medical bills is to go to a doctor or hospital in their plan’s provider network. Those doctors and hospitals have contracted with the health plan to provide health services at a negotiated rate, which is typically lower than out-of-network providers. But as more health plans limit the physicians and hospitals in these networks (to keep premium costs low), consumers are increasingly getting hit with surprise bills from out-of-network providers. And it’s especially hard for consumers once they’re in the hospital, according to a recent story in Modern Healthcare. Hospitals often contract with experts, such as anesthesiologists, emergency physicians, radiologists and even assistant surgeons. But many times, those doctors don’t participate in the same plan networks as the hospital, so they’re considered out-of-network.
