Thomas Zordani flew from his home in Denver to Phoenix for a consultation with a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon about debilitating headaches. He said he had been told at the time of booking that the clinic was in his insurer's network. On arrival, staff directed him to the financial office and told him he owed a $5,000 pre-service deposit because Mayo had since determined it did not accept his plan. He was designated a self-pay patient even though his coverage included out-of-network benefits. He refused, and the appointment was canceled.
His case, reported by KFF Health News, illustrates a billing practice moving from the margins of American health care into routine use. Providers are increasingly asking insured patients to pay an estimated share of the bill before care is delivered, and the practice is no longer confined to elective procedures.
