Not even doctors are exempt from the absurdity of medical bills in the US - Doctor hit with surprise $57,000 bill

MILWAUKEE – When Dr. Lind­say Schmidt went in for her heart sur­gery at Froedtert Med­ical Col­lege in Wis­con­sin this spring, she believed her insur­ance would cover the cost.

Then, she received a text noti­fic­a­tion for a $57,000 bill.

She later learned that her insur­ance com­pany, United­Health­care, had denied her claim two weeks prior.

But Schmidt, who opted into paper­less com­mu­nic­a­tion sev­eral years ago, said she never received a noti­fic­a­tion through text or email, as she has for every appoint­ment or bill from Froedtert and United­Health­care in the past. Nor did she get a let­ter in the mail, she said.

https://www.pressreader.com/usa/times-herald-record/20260713/281535117744915?srsltid=AfmBOooL3lrhbDZR4vfms__XbDcCk38nqJ4QbmW5sJaGPTABZrW5-tKL

Prior authorization run amok - "Sure you have a small hole in your heart, but surgery to address it is not medically necessary because... uh... you don't have a history of strokes"