During a routine visit to a medical office in suburban Boston, Suzanne Maguire had a small plug put in her tear duct to treat persistent dry eye. She paid $600 for the procedure, which took just a few minutes.
Weeks later, the Arlington, Massachusetts, woman was mailed a second bill for about $600. She thought it was a billing error and called the doctor's office. But an employee explained it wasn't a mistake. The second bill included a facility fee charged by Boston-based Mass Eye and Ear, an affiliated hospital Maguire never set foot in.
Maguire, who works as a financial planner, scrutinizes medical bills because she has a health insurance plan with a $3,000 deductible, the amount she must pay before coverage kicks in. The hospital bill for a suburban doctor visit flummoxed her.
"It was shocking," said Maguire. "I was 15 miles away from the hospital."
In a statement, Mass Eye and Ear said the suburban medical office is a hospital-licensed facility and is transparent about billing practices.
