How to Tackle a Surprise Medical Bill Like an Artist

Key points

Embrace complexity like a puzzle and use a curious tone of voice.

Assume your audience (or the billing department) wants to listen to you, and strategize with them.

Negotiate according to supporting evidence.

A month ago, I accompanied my daughter to what I thought was a routine doctor’s office visit with a Mount Sinai doctor. Instead of the normal copay afterward, I was told not to worry about paying anything. Weeks later, I was hit with a surprise bill of $584, classified by my insurance as “after-deductible coverage.” The anxiety and helplessness this caused are all too familiar to many patients stuck in our intentionally opaque and confusing health insurance system.

I turned to the discovery skills I have as a pianist to learn a new "language"—to investigate, embrace