Is It An Emergency? Anthem Makes Patients Question ER Visits

Dr. Jesse Pines, who teaches emergency medicine at George Washington University, is concerned that Anthem’s clampdown will scare patients away from the ER in an actual emergency. “I think it’s completely unfair to patients. It runs the risk of really hurting some people.”

Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press

Alison Wrenne was making waffles for her two young children one morning when abdominal pain forced her to the floor. A neighbor who is a physician assistant urged her to go to the emergency room.

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Wrong decision, according to her health insurer. Wrenne was diagnosed with a ruptured ovarian cyst, but Anthem said that wasn’t an emergency and stuck her with a $4,110 bill.