Aurora Dad Slapped With $503 'Facility Fee' For Son's Doctor's Visit

A Colorado dad was left stunned over an extra $503 billed to him after he took his son to the doctor. Michael Kark told FOX 31 that he took his 5-year-old son to see a psychologist about his child's food allergies.

“We got a $20 bill for the doctor and then a couple of weeks later we got a second bill for $503,” he says. Reporters reviewed the father's bill and found that the Children's Hospital Colorado charged his insurance $793 for the visit. United Healthcare reportedly paid $28, leaving Kark to pay $503.13 for a facilities fee.

"Why this was being charged on a behavioral health visit?" Kark says. "There were no vital signs, there were no titanium screws, there was no surgery. This was literally just a lamp and a couch."

Reporters explained that the doctor's office is located in a building near Children's Hospital Colorado, but the hospital owns the building. Since hospitals keep buying practices, patients might get facility fees on top of their co-pays for normal doctor's visits.

To put it simply, he got charged for walking through the door.

“It’s really concerning because it feels very much like a surprise bill,” Adam Fox, the deputy director at the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, told FOX 31. “I think we have felt that facilities fees are taken advantage for ER and in-patient hospital services, and now that they are being used in this way, [for out-patient services], this is pretty nefarious."

Children’s Hospital Colorado emailed a statement to the news station about the matter, as well:

"Physicians who provide services at our hospital system bill their professional fees, and Children’s Colorado separately bills our fee for the use of our facility. Our fees cover the costs of running a comprehensive children’s hospital system that specializes in pediatric care in a conducive environment that is best for all children across the communities we serve. The facility fee includes items such as the equipment and supplies that are used to treat a patient, nursing, clinical and administrative support staff, technology and the facility itself. Our charge structures and billing processes must follow state and federal regulatory requirements, and they are thoroughly evaluated at least annually.”

It should be noted that when Children’s Hospital Colorado stated its billing processes are 'thoroughly evaluated,' it is Children’s Hospital that is evaluating itself. The Problem Solvers reached out to the Colorado Division of Insurance and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and both agencies confirmed they do not regulate facility fees — let alone cap them in any meaningful way."

Kark says he has discontinued taking his son to the practice since the surprise charge. Reporters learned the father got a call from a hospital executive offering to reduce his bill by 35%. Unfortunately, that means he still has to fork up over $300 for the facility fee, they added.