STAT+: How a simple UTI turns into a $1,756 bill
They visited for what they thought were obvious urgent care issues — coughs, congestion, flu — and were shocked to get bills for ER care instead, totaling thousands of dollars.
Kristin Gills experienced a seemingly routine urinary tract infection (UTI) at Methodist Legacy ER & Urgent Care in Allen, Texas. She provided a urine sample, the doctor diagnosed her condition, and prescribed antibiotics. After her visit, Gills paid a $211 bill and assumed the matter was resolved. However, a staggering $1,756 bill soon arrived, leaving her bewildered.
Frustrated, she attempted to contact the clinic via phone and MyChart messages, but received no response. Gills turned to the internet, leaving a negative Google review and sharing her ordeal on a local Facebook group for mothers. Eventually, a Methodist representative contacted her, offering a cash-pay discount that reduced her balance to $667, but she refuses to pay the remaining amount.
Gills intends to fight the bill, stating it will be her "hill to die on." Intuitive Health, the private equity-owned company managing the hybrid ER and urgent care facility, claims these clinics are beneficial for patients as they ensure timely treatment without ambiguity about the severity of their condition. However, patients have expressed their discontent, reporting that they sought treatment for what they believed were straightforward urgent care concerns, such as coughs, congestion, and flu symptoms. They are astounded by the exorbitant bills they receive, often exceeding thousands of dollars.
Written by urgent.news from STAT News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
