COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS — Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in College Station, Texas erased $4,431 from a patient's outstanding balance following a news inquiry about his billing experience. The hospital eliminated the remaining debt for Randy Slaughter, who had been paying $150 monthly toward a $9,309 out-of-pocket obligation from his April 2024 hospital stay.

Slaughter spent three days at the nonprofit hospital in April 2024 after experiencing severe abdominal pain. Doctors were unable to determine the cause of his pain and advised him to change his diet when they discharged him. His stomach issue gradually went away after the hospital visit.

The total bill from Baylor Scott & White Medical Center came to $33,393. Slaughter's health insurance policy through his architectural firm employer had a deductible of $10,000, leaving him responsible for $9,309, which he arranged to pay down every month on an interest-free plan. "That $150 a month is a real kick in the shins," Slaughter said.

Hospital costs have risen far faster than any other sector of the U.S. economy over the past two decades, according to Zack Cooper, associate professor of public health at Yale University. "Paying for hospital care is the leading driver of health spending growth," Cooper said. "And the genesis of a lot of the affordability pressure folks are feeling has to do with health care."

Julie Smith, spokeswoman for Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, said she could not discuss specifics of Slaughter's case because he had not signed a legal document authorizing her to do so. "One of the most complex and confusing parts of the healthcare journey is the billing process, especially for patients receiving emergency care," Smith said. "One of our top priorities is improving this experience for those we serve."

Federal rules effective in 2021 require hospitals to provide information on procedure costs in a consumer-friendly format. Hospital costs are a major force driving Americans deeper into debt and widening the inequality gap.