It’s always important to make sure your hospital is in-network with your insurance beforehand, but a new report shows that alone might not keep you from getting a surprise bill.
You’d think if your hospital is in-network, their services and doctors would be as well. But here in North Texas, that’s not always the case.
It’s often referred to as “surprise billing, and the NBC 5 Responds team receives complaints about this all the time: You go to a hospital approved by your insurance, get checked out and receive a costly, unexpected bill days later from your doctor who is out of network.
According to a new study by The Center for Public Policy Priorities, there are 40 hospitals in Texas that bill their emergency room doctors as "out-of-network" more than 95 percent of the time.
Here's what you should know do help avoid confusion, and most importantly, a big bill.
1. As soon as you walk in the door, don't be afraid to ask your hospital about their out-of-network doctors. Double check when your doctor comes to see you. Make sure they're in-network.
2. Ask your ER doctors, anesthesiologists and radiologists if they’re in-network.
3. Click here to check the list of hospitals with doctors that are likely out-of-network.
MORE: List of Hospitals Where Out-of-Network Doctors are Likely
