WFTS ABC Tampa Bay has aired a two-part series on trauma activation fees in the state of Florida which features Pat Palmer of Medical Billing Advocates of America and Medical Recovery Services. Adam Walser reported this feature story, entitled ‘I-Team: Emergency Charges Questioned After 2012 Auto Crash’. Walser teamed with Tampa Bay Times to research and report this story.
The report tells the story of a Florida man who was involved in a serious collision as a passenger in a limousine in 2012. He was taken to the nearest trauma center where he was treated for his injuries. The patient was charged $32,767 for activating the facility’s trauma response team. The level 2 hospital determined that the patient’s injuries were too severe to be treated at their facility and transferred him to another level 2 trauma center 135 miles away, but not before charging him an additional $11,000 in less than an hour.
The investigation reveals that approximately 120,000 Florida patients have been billed a trauma activation fee in eight years. In three years, Florida medical facilities charged more than $500,000 in trauma activation fees.
J.C. Sadler, a spokeswoman for Hospital Corporation of America, stated that this fee pays for a specialized team of medical personnel, equipment and supplies which must be available for a trauma patient.
St. Joseph’s Hospital CMO Mark Vaaler states that their trauma fees also help pay for advanced training for healthcare providers. However, Vaaler’s hospital only charges a fee of $1264 for trauma activation.
According to Palmer, investigations into these types of charges within her organizations reveal no justification for many trauma activation fees. She explains that in many instances, there is no documentation that supports paying for an entire trauma activation team.
Part 2 of this story will air tonight, March 11, 2014.
