Stories From the American Healthcare System
Real stories from real people harmed by a broken healthcare system.
Featured Stories
View MoreHealth care is one of the largest sectors of our economy, and America’s medical system offers some of the best care in the world. Yet, it’s the least transparent and oftentimes, the most burdensome.
Federal law requires hospitals and insurers to display prices upfront so patients can shop for healthcare services, tests, or procedures just as they shop for anything else on the market. But that isn’t happening. Americans are still getting hit with surprise medical bills when it’s too late to negotiate.
America lacks a patient-centered structure –– as bad government policy has made health insurance more of a middleman than protection against risk. We all want health care we can trust from providers who have our best interests in mind.
After undergoing a C-section delivery, Amanda Partee-Manders was hit with a shocking medical bill including almost $4,000 for common painkillers.
View MoreExplore Our Voices
Hear stories from patients and family members about navigating the American healthcare system. Whether that’s being hit with a surprise medical bill, learning too late that they were over-paying for a procedure, or being harmed by a lack of transparency in the healthcare system.
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A Mom Signed Off on $6,700 for Her Son’s Urgent Psychiatric Needs but Was Billed Nearly $102,000 Instead
Bridget Narsh’s autistic son, Mason, needed urgent psychiatric care, but the daily cost was…
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Regularly Left in the Dark About Costs, This Mother Says Her Distrust of the Medical Establishment Grows With Each Visit
South Carolina mother of four Mary Richardson continually struggles to get honest, upfront answers…
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South Carolina Woman Billed $7,000 Only To Be Told She Was Fine
Audry Sarno was "floored" after being charged $7,000 to be told that she was…
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Single Mom Skipping Meals To Afford Medical Bill Hospital Didn’t Disclose
Anna Anthony, a single mom, is skipping meals to pay for her medical bills.…
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Hospital Sued Patient Over Medical Bills—But Wouldn’t Let Him See His Medical Records
In 2008, Gary Kujat went to the hospital for a common staph infection. After…
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Facing a 1032% Upcharge, This Cancer Patient Was Billed $6,293 for a Routine CT Scan
Last year, Thomas Schroeder’s CT scan to check up on his highly-recurrent malignant cancer…
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Mom Receives Shocking $47,000 Medical Bill After Undergoing C-Section
After undergoing a C-section delivery, Amanda Partee-Manders was hit with a shocking medical bill…
Your Voices
“When I received that huge bill unexpectedly, I was shocked..."
“My distrust of the medical establishment grows with each visit I make..."
“I compared my itemized bill charges to the averages for my region, and I was charged roughly 200-250% more per item..."
“I was completely shocked at the number of drugs I was given and the amounts..."
“That’s a 1032% increase for our portion, and I just thought ‘this can’t be...'"
“I’m not giving them another dime, especially since so much of the bill was wrong..."
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