A $17 Fee That Sparked a Bigger Health Care Investigation

[madmax]

A casual conversation at a neighborhood gathering led freelance journalist Michelle Crouch to uncover a growing and largely hidden billing practice in hospitals across Charlotte. After hearing a neighbor’s frustration about being charged a small fee for completing a pre-visit health questionnaire, Crouch began digging and quickly realized this wasn’t an isolated incident — similar complaints were popping up nationwide.

By turning to local platforms like Nextdoor, Crouch found dozens of patients sharing nearly identical experiences, some even posting photos of their bills. What looked like a minor charge — often under $20 — turned out to be part of a broader revenue strategy by hospital systems, quietly adding up to millions of dollars while leaving patients confused and frustrated.

[etfs]

I dont like it