A listener’s doctor wanted her credit card info up front — before her appointment. She wondered: Do I need to give it to them? We did too.
After all, who wants the risk of being overcharged — and then having to fight for money back?
Experts gave us their best advice, including a couple of tricks to try, and a legal protection you may be able to rely on.
Meanwhile, Elisabeth Rosenthal, senior contributing editor at KFF Health News, filled us in on the rapid growth of medical debt as a financial product, including specialized credit cards and financing plans pushed by hospitals and other providers.
They can come with steep interest rates, and (surprise, surprise) the terms aren’t always spelled out clearly.
The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been issuing reports, including a handy FAQ, but hasn’t taken enforcement action in a decade.
Here’s a transcript of this episode.
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Sick Note, pt. 2: Dang
Sick Note: Dan has COVID. (He's fine, but ...)
Fighting for the Right to Help
Swimming with sharks
Introducing: Half Vaxxed
Introducing: Last Day
Meet your new rights under the No Surprises Act
2022 update: How to avoid a big bill for your COVID test (feat. Sarah Kliff)
Our Year in Review, with members of the Arm and a Leg team
Why rapid COVID tests are so freaking expensive
Fighting with health insurance is easy (for Jacqueline Fox)
How to avoid the crappiest health insurance.
The Insurance Warrior takes on a $61B Company
Meet the Insurance Warrior
We spend 12 million hours a week on the phone with health insurance
Wait, that was legal until now?!?
"We just kept right on pushing"
The wild backstory of a tiny but crucial Obamacare provision (ft. David Axelrod)
A legendary lawyer sued hospitals for price-gouging their patients. And got his butt handed to him.
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