Consumer Stories

Maryanna Clarke

Maryanna Clarke, Tennessee

On September 21, 2014, while out running alone, Maryanna fell and severely broke her right humerus. It was broken completely through, and one of the pieces had splintered. Her first call was to her husband, then 911. She was taken to the nearest trauma center- which turned out to be an out-of-network hospital.Continue reading Maryanna Clarke, Tennessee... read more.

Nicki Pogue, California

In August 2019, the same week as her 50th birthday, Nicki ran a high-altitude race. After returning home, she started having a cough. Her doctor diagnosed her with bronchitis and prescribed her antibiotics and a decongestant Nicki followed her doctor’s advice, taking her medication and laying down for a nap. When she woke up, Nicki immediately knew something was very wrong. Her ears were ring... read more.

Alexis Makmlae, Connecticut

In February 2019, Alexis was on vacation with her family in the Poconos Mountains. While skiing, her daughter took a wrong turn and hit a tree. Her injuries were severe, and an ambulance took her to a local hospital where it was determined that she need to be transferred to a facility that could more adequately handle her level of trauma. Continue reading Alexis Makmlae, Connecticut... read more.

Claudia Knafo, New York

In 2012, Claudia needed spinal surgery to address health issues she was experiencing due to a recent fall. She conducted extensive research to find a doctor that would accept her insurance, and specifically chose a surgeon at an in-network facility who confirmed that her insurance would cover the procedure. Continue reading Claudia Knafo, New York... read more.

Jocyln Krevat, California

In November 2009, Jocyln was a healthy 32-year-old woman living in New York when all of the sudden she became very sick. What she initially thought was the flu turned into pneumonia, and eventually, doctors discovered that she was actually experiencing symptoms of end-stage heart failure.Continue reading Jocyln Krevat, California... read more.

Andrew Frank, Florida

  In 2019, Andrew Frank’s wife was battling terminal cancer and had to be hospitalized several times. On one occasion, while at her in-network hospital, she needed a critical procedure that the facility could not perform. She was transferred via ambulance to their sister hospital for the procedure and returned the same day. Months later they received an out-of-network ambulance bill for $1... read more.

Stay Up To Date

Now that the No Surprises Act protections are in effect, we continue to provide resources about the statute. See our resources tab to learn more about the new law and our efforts to keep it strong for consumers. You can also visit the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ website on the law for more information: https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises.

Contact the No Surprises Campaign

Jane Sheehan, Director of Federal Relations
JSheehan@familiesusa.org