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Hospitals are increasingly requiring insured patients to pay upfront before getting care
Summary by The Los Angeles Editorial Desk Julie Appleby | KFF Health News , as published by NBC Los Angeles (KNBC)
· August 13, 2026
· 1 min read
Photo: NBC Los Angeles (KNBC) · view original
Story provenance No corrections
Summary created by The Los Angeles Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Byline on source page Julie Appleby | KFF Health News, as published by NBC Los Angeles (KNBC) Original story Read at the source Source published Aug 13, 2026 Indexed here Aug 13, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
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Key takeaway However, upon arrival, he was told he needed to make a $5,000 deposit because the clinic did not accept his insurance.
A patient's experience at a Mayo Clinic has highlighted a growing trend in hospitals requiring insured patients to pay upfront before receiving care. Thomas Zordani traveled to Phoenix for a consultation, believing the clinic was part of his insurer's network. However, upon arrival, he was told he needed to make a $5,000 deposit because the clinic did not accept his insurance.
The clinic designated him as "self-pay" despite his plan having out-of-network benefits. Zordani refused to pay and his appointment was canceled. Further details about this incident and the trend of hospitals requiring upfront payments are available from the source.
The incident occurred in early April 2024, and it has raised concerns about access to care for insured patients.
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Category: local Published: August 13, 2026 Source: NBC Los Angeles (KNBC) Reading time: 1 min
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? A patient's experience at a Mayo Clinic has highlighted a growing trend in hospitals requiring insured patients to pay upfront before receiving care. Thomas Zordani traveled to Phoenix for a…
When was this published? This article was first published on August 13, 2026 by NBC Los Angeles (KNBC) and curated for The Los Angeles readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Julie Appleby | KFF Health News at NBC Los Angeles (KNBC). To learn more about how The Los Angeles selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The Los Angeles, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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