If you have recently stayed in a hospital or received treatment at a medical center, you may have seen a charge on your bill labeled as a “facility fee” and wondered what it is. Well, it turns out that the extra money owed isn’t a new phenomenon, but as medical bills become increasingly expensive, people have begun to pay closer attention to their statements. That’s how questions surrounding facility fees have begun to rise, with people wondering what they are and whether they actually need to pay them. We look into all of that and share ways to cut down or eliminate the cost below.
What is a facility fee?
A facility fee is when a medical facility charges a patient for being in their building and using their supplies; however, some people have reportedly even been charged for a remote visit with their doctor. They claim these fees help cover their equipment, education, security, housing and more. Facility fees are typically not covered by insurance and are most commonly found on bills for doctors who work at or with a hospital.
According to NBC, one person in Ohio owed over $400 after just taking his daughter to the doctor for stomach pain, and that is just the beginning.
Cristine Monahan, an assistant research professor at the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University, told that same news outlet that “In most states and situations, there aren’t really limits on how high they can go,” meaning that if you see a medical professional, they can charge you as little as much as they want, just by visiting them.
There is also no legal action that can be taken against these fees. However, the American Heart Association reported in February of this year that “Congress has introduced several pieces of legislation that would limit hospitals’ ability to charge these fees in the context of Medicare hospital outpatient payments (also known as ‘site-neutral’ provisions).”
“These proposals would cut anywhere from approximately $3 billion to $180 billion from hospitals over 10 years without providing any alternative mechanism for funding the essential health care services that only hospitals provide. Increasingly, policymakers are also looking at policies to limit facility fees in the context of commercial coverage.”
As of publication, no congressional decisions regarding facility fees have been made.
How to avoid facility fees
As scary as facility fees can be, there are several ways you can avoid them. The first step is to call your doctor and ask if there is one. If they confirm there is, ask how much it will likely be, and then try to negotiate it down. Several states have also banned facility fees for telehealth visits. To learn more about whether your state is on the list, click here!
If that doesn’t work, and you do receive a facility fee on your bill, you can fight it. You can also try to find a doctor who works in an office not owned by a hospital, as these places are less likely to have such fees. You can also find a health care representative who can help you understand your bill and apply for financial assistance.
“People see the bill and just assume, because it’s on their bill, that they’re going to have to pay it,” Eric Waskowicz, a senior state policy manager at United States of Care, told NBC News. “To the extent it’s possible, they are able to work with insurance providers to see if they can get that fee waived.”
And of course, if all else fails, you can always call your doctor’s office and ask what the fee covers, how you can lower it and if they can help you set up a payment plan if needed.
