Report highlights unforeseen health care bills and coverage denials by commercial insurers

A Commonwealth Fund report published Aug. 1 examines how frequently insured, working-age adults are denied care by insurers; how often they are billed for services they believed were covered; and their experiences challenging such bills or care denials. The report shows that 45% of insured, working-age adults reported receiving a medical bill or being charged a copayment in the past year for a service they thought should have been free or covered by their insurance. Among other findings, 17% of respondents said that their insurer denied coverage for care that was recommended by their doctor, and nearly six of 10 adults who experienced a coverage denial said their care was delayed as a result.