The Big Take
Cancer Patient's $100,000 Bill Shows Chaos Rocking Health Care
The US health-care system spends as much on billing and claims processing as it does on treating cancer.
After she was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, Julie Simons and her doctor sought approval from her insurance company to pay for a form of precise, high-dose radiation treatment.
The confusing responses they received presaged a struggle to come. UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s insurance division told the doctor that type of radiation wouldn’t be covered during a phone call in February 2024, according to the company. The same day, it sent Simons two conflicting letters: One denying the request as “not medically necessary” and another that approved it.