After amnesia episode, woman faces $59,000 billing dispute for a year
According to a KFF Health News report, Jan Anderson, 65, of Sedona, Arizona, experienced transient global amnesia after a hike in April 2025 and was airlifted to a Glendale hospital for emergency care. She was discharged the next day with no lasting effects. Several weeks later, Abrazo Health’s Arrowhead Campus billed her $59,181 for the stay. Her insurer, Molina Healthcare, denied the claim, arguing that prior authorization was required for the inpatient admission despite the No Surprises Act’s protections for emergency services. For over a year, Anderson received conflicting information about what she owed, with the hospital billing her $15,312.43 and her explanation of benefits showing a $0.00 patient liability. After KFF Health News contacted Molina and the hospital, Molina launched an internal review, and a hospital revenue director told Anderson the balance would be written off if Molina continued to deny payment. The report highlights the communication breakdown between provider and insurer even under federal surprise-billing protections.
What’s reported
On April 10, 2025, Jan Anderson showed symptoms of confusion after hiking in Sedona; her husband took her to an ER, and she was airlifted to Abrazo Health’s Arrowhead Campus in Glendale, Arizona.
She was diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a temporary and benign memory disorder, and discharged the next day.
The total hospital bill was $59,181, broken into $35,302 for imaging, $8,147 for lab services, $8,146 for a special care unit, $5,532 for EKG services, and $2,054 for pharmacy.
Her initial bill from Abrazo Health said she owed $15,312.43 after an insurance adjustment of $43,868.57, but her insurer Molina Healthcare had not covered any charges at that point.
Molina denied the claim because “inpatient stays require prior authorization, or notification at the time of admission” and none was received.
The federal No Surprises Act bans out-of-network bills for most emergency services, but Molina argued that the inpatient admission required authorization.
After KFF Health News inquired, Molina began an internal review, and a hospital revenue director assured Anderson the balance would be written off if Molina still denied payment.
Anderson’s explanation of benefits from Molina showed her patient liability as $0.00, but the hospital continued to show a balance for over a year.
Open questions
Whether Molina ultimately approved the claim or the hospital wrote off the balance, and whether Anderson received a written guarantee that she would not be held responsible.
Key figures
Jan Anderson: patient, retired finance executive, 65
Steve Francks: Jan Anderson’s husband
Nicole Broadhurst: CEO of a Tennessee patient advocacy group, not involved in the case
Linda Nofer: spokesperson for Abrazo Health
Caroline Zubieta: spokesperson for Molina Healthcare (would not discuss the case on the record)
Sources: kffhealthnews.org
