Hospital billing for ‘facility fees’ comes under scrutiny

Five states are currently considering laws to curb hospital facility fees, and the fees have also caught the attention of Congress, Axios reports. As health systems push more care outside hospital walls, they're charging extra "facility fees" for common services like blood tests, X-rays and, in some cases, even telehealth visits. Critics say the practice drives up health care costs while padding hospital profits and incentivizing more consolidation.