Drowning in a Sea of Paperwork: Toward a More Patient-Centered Billing System in the United States

Hospitals and physicians are working to improve the health care experience for patients. However, these improvement efforts frequently neglect a common source of patients' concerns: the medical billing system. Frustrations for patients abound, from the emergency department visit that prompts a seemingly never-ending and incomprehensible deluge of bills to the “This is not a bill” insurance statement that arrives 18 months after care is provided. This sea of paperwork costs time and money and creates confusion and frustration. We describe the problems with the current system and how providers, health plans, and policymakers may improve it.