Number of the Day: 18% of ER Visits End with Surprise Bills, Report Says

For people in large employer health plans, nearly one in five emergency room visits in 2017 was followed by a “surprise” medical bill, according to a study released Thursday by Kaiser Family Foundation researchers. Similarly, 16% of in-network hospital stays had at least one out-of-network charge.

The chances of getting hit with an unexpected charge varied widely by state, with patients in Texas, New York, Florida, New Jersey and Kansas more likely to face surprise bills. Patients in Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Maine and Mississippi had the lowest rates of out-of-network charges.