In or out of network? Patients get nasty surprises on medical bills

Patients are getting hammered by huge unexpected charges on medical bills, particularly in the tricky area of what's in and out of network. Finding out the real prices is often difficult for consumers—and made even harder because federal law prohibits any discussion in emergency room situations that would discourage patients from seeking treatment, a provision that providers sometimes use to explain why they don't talk about network or price issues.