Case Updates |
03/09/26
Related Case: Mental Health Questionnaire “Junk Fee” Investigation
If you were charged a fee for completing a questionnaire or screening form during a medical visit, you may have a legal claim.
Wolf Popper LLP is investigating reports that some hospitals, urgent care centers, physicians, and healthcare systems are billing patients for routine questionnaires provided during the appointment check-in process.
Many patients report being handed short surveys while checking in for an appointment or completing online pre-visit forms. These questionnaires may ask about mental health, food security, housing stability, personal safety, or other issues sometimes referred to as “social determinants of health.” Patients are typically instructed to complete the forms along with other routine paperwork.
However, some healthcare providers have begun billing these questionnaires as separate medical services. Patients often do not learn about the charge until weeks later when they receive a bill or explanation of benefits from their insurer.
Patients have reported being billed for these questionnaires even when they visited a provider for an unrelated medical issue and no discussion of the screening results occurred during the appointment. In some cases, patients say they were never informed that completing the questionnaire could result in a separate charge or that the screening was optional.
Many insurers and patient advocates say these assessments have traditionally been included as part of the overall visit charge rather than billed as a separate service. This expectation has meant some insurers have declined to cover the additional charge and the costs have been passed on to the patient.
Unexpected charges for routine paperwork may be considered a “junk fee” and if you were charged a fee after completing a questionnaire or screening form during a medical appointment, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact us for a free case evaluation.