Man Wins Fight Over Massive Hospital Bill

We have new details on an investigation into service at a local emergency room. The day after our report aired, a family stunned by a huge medical bill had the charges reversed.

Samuel Packtor went to the Middlesex Hospital emergency room in Marlborough in January after his finger became infected, red and swollen.

He says he had his vital signs taken and sat waiting in a hallway in the ER for a long time until a physician's assistant gave him a prescription. He never saw a doctor, and was shocked when he was later slapped with a $1,000 bill.

"I mean, granted, I feel $1,000 is a lot of money, but if I was there and they took care of me, that is the bill," said Packtor. "But nothing was done for me. I never got into an examining room, I was never examined. I was never spoken to. All I got was a prescription from who I thought was a nurse on duty."

But Friday, hours after we aired an investigation into the charges, Packtor said he heard from a hospital vice president, who apologized and removed all the charges.

In a statement to NBC Connecticut, Middlesex Hospital said:

"Middlesex Hospital is committed to providing the highest quality care and the best experience possible to our community. This level of care extends throughout our Health System, including our Emergency Departments. In fact, our Marlborough Emergency Department has been nationally recognized for its high level of patient satisfaction for the past nine years.

"In addition, Middlesex Hospital now offers a lower-cost alternative care option for patients with non-life-threatening illness or injury through its Urgent Care centers in Middletown and Madison; and one soon to open in Old Saybrook. Our Emergency Departments can become extremely busy at times, but our primary goal remains — to treat our patients effectively and in a timely manner. Discussions between the Hospital and Mr. Packtor were, in fact, underway before the NBC story was broadcast, and we are very pleased that we have resolved this issue in a mutually satisfactory manner."

Packtor’s wife said she's just relieved and ready to put the ordeal behind them.

Contact Us