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Tuesday, 07 September 2010 05:00

In the example used by staff writer Steve Twedt, unemployed Munhall resident Diane Aiello had her annual physical done in the Shea Medical Center in the Shadyside Medical Building on the UPMC Shadyside campus. She expected to pay the $25.25 co-pay under her Highmark insurance plan. But she was floored later when billed additionally for a $91.95 "facility fee."

Hospitals say it's to cover office overhead like utilities and maintenance. We say it's outrageous.

UPMC is not the only health care provider tacking on facility fees. So is West Penn Allegheny Health System, Cleveland Clinic and others.

A Highmark spokesman said many individual insurance plans, especially those with high deductibles, don't cover facility fees until the yearly deductible is met. Ironically, those who hold these policies may be the ones who can't afford to be nickel and dimed.

It's hard to see this unsettling trend for anything other than what it is: a creative way for the health-care industry to get around the various limits aimed at keeping insurance costs "down." As a result, it's hard, and maybe impossible, for the average patient to know what her next routine doctor's visit will cost out of pocket.

You wonder how executives in hospitals and insurance companies who saddle patients with facility fees would react to the same surprise with their purchases.

Haircut for $15? Tack on the barber's facility fee of $50 to keep the air conditioning on.

Birthday cake for $22? Don't forget the baker's facility fee of $80 to heat the oven.

Newspaper for 75 cents? Remember the facility fee of $2.80 to power the presses.

It's enough to make you sick. And to think some people still don't believe in health care reform.

Comments (2)

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written by myreply, September 07, 2010 - 10:02 AM

And if I remember the article, there was a picture of the bill. The lyin' buggers don't even list the words "facility fee" on the bill!
Yeah, I'm ticked off that we are paying for their "utilities". But I'm more ticked off that they don't have the cahoonies to actually list it as a "facility fee" on our bills.

If they don't think they have anything to hide, then why hide it?>

If it was shown as facility fee, my apologies, but I remember feeling this way when I read the article. Did anybody out there save the article?

Now about the other trades. I don't doubt for one minute that utilities are partnered in with the rates that trades charge.

But, these utilities fees are outrageous, when added on top of the outrageous premiums and co-pays we already pay.

What next - a toilet paper fee!!!!!

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written by myreply, September 07, 2010 - 11:51 AM

Concerning toilet paper fee:

They crap on us all of the time. So why not pay for their clean-up.

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