unexpected bills

Medical breakthroughs mean cancer is less likely to kill, but survival can come at an extraordinary cost as patients drain savings, declare bankruptcy or lose their homes, a KHN-NPR investigation finds.

A toddler burned his hand on the stove. The pediatrician told mom over the phone to take him to the emergency room. But after a long wait for a doctor who never showed, they left. Then the bill came.

A gynecologist in New Mexico tested the 60-year-old grandmother for various sexually transmitted infections without her knowledge, she says. Her share of the lab fee was more than $3,000.

Recovering from a medical procedure is always a challenge, but getting hit with unexpected insurance fees can add financial hardship to the process.As…