"[M]any consumers who take pains to research which doctors and hospitals participate in their plans can still end up with huge bills. Sometimes, that's because they got incorrect or incomplete information from their insurer or health-care provider. Sometimes, it's because a physician has multiple offices, and not all are in network ... Sometimes, it's because a participating hospital relies on out-of-network doctors, including emergency room physicians, anesthesiologists and radiologists.... Efforts by doctors, hospitals and other health providers to charge patients for bills not covered by their insurers are called 'balance billing.' The problem pre-dates the federal health law and has long been among the top complaints filed with state insurance regulators."  MORE >>