If you saw a physician during your hospital visit, you may receive charges for their professional time and care in a separate bill from your hospital charges.

If a doctor or physician at the hospital helped you at the hospital, you may receive what’s called “professional charges” in separate bills. This generally includes services from doctors, anesthesiologists, or specialists who are affiliated with the hospital but aren’t employed by the hospital.

It can be confusing: If you got a laboratory test, for example, the charge for the test itself may appear on your hospital bill (also known as an institutional or facility bill), but the physician’s charge for their time and care will appear on the professional bill.

Currently Goodbill only negotiates hospital bills, not professional bills, but we hope to tackle that soon.