Cedars-Sinai Medical Center review: Breach of transparency law - illegal charge for facility fee

I went for regular doctor visit coded as "established patient visit"

The doctor and facility are in-network

I called ahead before scheduling, to insurance co. and doctors office to ensure:

(1) both were in-network

(2) my only financial obligation would be the $50 specialist copay

Because I have had issues with billing in the past, I checked the Cedars website, the Cigna website and called both the doctor's office and Cigna to make certain that the total cost would be the $50 copay.

Two months later, I received a bill from Cedars for a "facility fee"!

The bill said I was delinquent, although I had not received an earlier invoice.

I checked the paperwork I signed, the Cigna website, the doctors listing, (he has no other office location), and non of these places list a facility fee for a standard office visit. This is fraud. I called the office and Cigna, and they state that the doctor is an "independent contractor". This still doesn't allow them to surprise patient with a facility fee without disclosing this information anywhere.