ER Charges When Leaving Without Treatment – What Can We Do?

My wife received a $974 bill after visiting the ER at Hartford Hospital, even though we left without seeing a doctor. Here’s what happened:

She registered at the front desk, and a nurse took her vitals and triaged her. After waiting for a couple of hours, someone came to confirm her details (address, phone, etc.) and charged $100 to her card. We eventually left after a few hours without receiving any further care.

The bill includes:

  • $415 for “Emergency Department Visit, Moderate MDM”
  • $923 for “HC Emergency Department Visit, Level 2-ED” — this charge lists a doctor’s name, but we never actually saw a doctor.

After insurance, we owe $874 (the $100 already paid is included).

We contacted the ER billing department, but they said the charges are valid. A debt collector also confirmed that the balance remains after verifying with the hospital.

Should we just pay the bill, or is there a way to dispute or reduce the charges? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

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Yes, the charges could still be valid even without seeing a doctor.

While you may not have had a face-to-face consultation, a doctor might have reviewed your wife’s chart and vitals and assigned a triage level.

In an emergency department (ED), a low triage level indicates a non-urgent case, where a patient’s needs can be addressed as time allows. The Emergency Severity Index (ESI) is a triage system that categorizes patients based on the hospital resources they require.

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As they’re charging the facility separately from the provider, what you’re saying sounds the most plausible.

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They might get a bill from the doctor.

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Thank you for the information. We heard from the billing department that the results of triage and vitals were shared with the doctor. So yes, what you are saying makes sense. But still can’t believe the amount compared to the service we got. Thanks for the information.

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Unfortunately, ER services are very expensive because they must be staffed 24/7 and have life-saving equipment available.

Did your insurance cover the claim? You may need to meet a deductible or pay a copay.

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They can charge you even if the doctor doesn’t physically see you.

If they review your chart, they can still bill you. I know, it’s frustrating.

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Yeah, that’s true. Looks like I have to go ahead and pay

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You could request your medical records and find out if a doctor did in fact look over your chart.

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When I worked for a health insurance company, we paid $1,100 just for our members to enter the ER, and costs only increased from there. My role was to prevent people from going to the ER, as many would go there for minor issues, like just getting a sandwich.

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Wow, that’s crazy! At the ED where I worked, if you didn’t see a doctor, you weren’t charged.

Is the bill from the hospital or a physician group? Do they list any specific billing codes?

I suggest calling to request an itemized breakdown of the bill. Also, check your online portal or chart for details about your visit.

Dispute any billing codes that don’t reflect the care you received. You can likely get this reduced—don’t accept “no” for an answer.

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The bill is from hospital. And this is the itemized bill with the mentioned two charges.

We already put so many hours on calls, and now it has been sent to debt collector. We don’t have much time, not sure how much time do we have before it gets on her record.

I will call the hospital again and the insurance. But not sure if anything will change. Thanks for the information and help.