Hospital Billing Dispute Leaves Patient with $59,000 Debt After Amnesia Episode
Jan Anderson, a 65-year-old retired finance executive, experienced a temporary amnesia episode in April 2025 after a hike in Sedona, Arizona. She was airlifted to a Phoenix-area hospital for evaluation, where she was diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a rare and temporary memory disorder. Despite recovering without long-term effects, Anderson faced a $59,000 hospital bill that her insurer, Molina Healthcare, refused to cover. The insurer argued that her hospital stay required prior authorization, which was not obtained. The federal No Surprises Act, which protects patients from unexpected out-of-network charges, should have applied, but a communication breakdown between the hospital and insurer left Anderson with the debt. 
