Woman hit with $28,000+ bill after throat swab test at doctor's visit

Woman hit with $28,000+ bill after throat swab test at doctor's visit

A routine doctor’s visit for a sore throat brought more than $28,000 in charges for one woman. In our Bill of the Month partnership with Kaiser Health News and NPR, we take a look at unexpected medical costs. The woman’s visit shows even when insurance does cover medical charges, costs can still skyrocket in the long run. David Begnaud reports, and Kaiser Health News editor-in-chief Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal joins “CBS This Morning” to discuss the findings.

Truth Analysis

Factual Accuracy
4/5
Bias Level
3/5
Analysis Summary:

The article appears mostly accurate, with the core claim of a woman receiving a $28,000+ bill after a throat swab test supported by multiple sources. The article leans towards highlighting the issue of high medical costs in the US, which introduces a moderate bias. Some details about the specific tests and reasons for the high cost are not elaborated upon, which could be seen as selective reporting.

Detailed Analysis:
  • Claim:** A routine doctor's visit for a sore throat brought more than $28,000 in charges for one woman.
    • Verification Source #1: Supports this claim, stating "A woman in New York City went to her doctor because of a sore throat. Then days later, she got a medical bill for more than $28,000."
    • Verification Source #4: Supports this claim, stating "A routine doctor's visit for a sore throat brought more than $28000 in charges for one woman."
  • Claim:** The article is part of a "Bill of the Month" partnership with Kaiser Health News and NPR.
    • Verification Source #4: Supports this claim, stating "In our Bill of the Month partnership with..."
  • Claim:** The woman's visit shows even when insurance does cover medical charges, costs can still skyrocket in the long run.
  • This claim is a general statement about the healthcare system and is not directly verifiable by the provided sources, but it aligns with the overall theme presented in Verification Source #1 and #3.
  • Claim:** The woman is from New York City.
    • Verification Source #1: Supports this claim.
Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:
  • Verification Source #1 and #4 both confirm the core claim of a woman receiving a $28,000+ bill after a throat swab test for a sore throat.
  • Verification Source #4 confirms the partnership with Kaiser Health News and NPR.
  • Verification Source #3 mentions the issue of high medical bills and how to negotiate them, which indirectly supports the article's focus on unexpected medical costs.
  • The provided sources do not offer details about the specific tests performed or the reasons for the high cost, which limits the ability to fully assess the accuracy of the situation.
  • Verification Source #5 is irrelevant to the topic.