"Rising Outrage: US Hospitals' Billions in 'Facility Fees' for Routine Care"
US hospitals are adding billions of dollars in "facility fees" to routine medical bills, charging unsuspecting outpatients for using the office where they meet doctors. Patients are being punished with hundreds of dollars in fees, particularly in states where hospitals have acquired medical practices. These fees significantly inflate the cost of standard medical procedures, and some lawmakers are proposing limitations on the fees covered by Medicare. Some states have taken action to restrict or ban these fees, while others require hospitals to disclose them to potential patients.