Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether Children’s National Hospital failed to adequately disclose outpatient facility fees that were added to routine pediatric office visits, specialty appointments, and other outpatient services.
Many parents schedule appointments expecting to pay only for their child’s physician visit. Instead, after the appointment, they discover an additional hospital outpatient “facility fee” on their explanation of benefits (“EOB”) or bill. This separate charge—sometimes amounting to hundreds of dollars—may not have been clearly disclosed before the appointment was scheduled or before care was provided.
Although Children’s National acknowledges that certain outpatient visits are billed with both a professional fee and a facility fee, consumers may not receive meaningful notice before committing to the appointment, leaving families unable to compare prices or choose lower-cost alternatives.
What Consumers Report
Consumers report:
- Receiving two separate bills for a single outpatient visit.
- Discovering an unexpected hospital facility fee after the appointment.
- Scheduling appointments without being informed an additional hospital charge would apply.
- Paying significantly more than expected for routine pediatric care.
- Learning about the facility fee only after receiving an EOB or bill.
- Being unable to avoid the charge because it was never disclosed beforehand.
Why Consumers Should Be Concerned
Consumers should be able to understand the total expected cost of medical care before deciding where to receive treatment. When mandatory facility fees are not clearly disclosed before scheduling or registration, patients lose the opportunity to compare prices and make informed healthcare decisions.
This investigation seeks to determine whether Children’s National Hospital adequately informed patients about facility fees before appointments and whether undisclosed charges violated District of Columbia consumer protection laws.
Potential Claims May Include
- Violation of the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act
- Material Omissions
- False or Misleading Price Advertising
- Deceptive Trade Practices
- Unjust Enrichment
Signs You May Be Affected
You may be affected if:
- You or your child received outpatient care at a Children’s National Hospital clinic.
- Your visit occurred within the past three years.
- You received both a physician charge and a separate hospital facility fee.
- The facility fee was not disclosed before your appointment.
- You paid any portion of the additional charge.
- You still have your bill or explanation of benefits showing the facility fee.
If you have encountered these issues, we would like to hear from you. Please complete the contact form on this page, send us an email at [email protected], or give us a call at (202) 470-3520.