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Bill 8 · Emergency room
You cut a finger in the kitchen. A doctor looked at it, put in three stitches and gave you a tetanus shot. You were home 40 minutes later.
Which line should you question?
Itemized statement
ER visit, level 5$2,900
Laceration repair, simple$380
Tetanus vaccine$95
Supplies$40
Correct!
Not quite.
Emergency visits are billed on a scale from level 1 to level 5 according to how complex the case was. Level 5 is meant for severe, potentially life-threatening problems that need extensive evaluation. A simple cut with three stitches rarely fits that description. The level is set by a coder after you leave, and it is open to review. Say: “Please review the visit level against the medical record. This was a minor laceration.”
More: The 8 Hidden Clues That Prove Your Medical Bill Might Be Wrong