Thursday at 5:30: Charged a fee without stepping foot in a hospital? You’re not alone

SEATTLE — You’ve probably seen it before: a high bill after a medical appointment, sometimes the result of a “hospital fee” or “facility fee.”

Now, some patients are seeing them on bills even when they never set foot in a hospital.

These fees, intended to cover hospital operating costs and staff, are increasingly being charged in outpatient settings as hospital systems acquire provider offices.