Hospital Prepayment Requirements Add New Wrinkles to Patients’ Financial Responsibility By Julie Appleby Aug. 12, 2026

Hospital Prepayment Requirements Add New Wrinkles to Patients’ Financial Responsibility By Julie Appleby Aug. 12, 2026 https://kffhealthnews.org/health-care-costs/hospital-prepayment-requirements-upfront-patient-insurance-deductible/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8MNKlM2VDvIDwImnlb4Wld_5ip5TrANFiz3mzyIYgWanZ0nWM6mTfShpTzaPJ1i6BvXrQM1TL2tnibx8Oa0VXQQrbiqw&_hsmi=432809376&utm_content=432809376&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: Hospital Prepayment Requirements Add New Wrinkles To Patients’ Financial Responsibility Thomas Zordani flew from his home in Denver to Phoenix for a consultation with a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon, hoping to find out what could be done to treat his debilitating headaches after worrisome brain scan findings. When making the appointment, Zordani said, he’d been told the clinic was in his insurer’s network. Upon arrival, Zordani was summoned to the clinic’s financial office and told he had to make a $5,000 preservice deposit, because Mayo had since determined it did not accept his insurance. He was automatically designated “self-pay,” even though his plan had out-of-network benefits. (Appleby, 8/12)