Virginia woman says urgent care clinic demanded payment before anaphylaxis treatment

Stephanie Rowell, 53, says a Virginia urgent care clinic required her to pay before giving her epinephrine during anaphylaxis after a wasp sting. The account has raised questions about how urgent care providers handle payment when someone needs immediate treatment.

Rowell was uninsured and on her way to an emergency room when she stopped at a clinic in Purcellville. She says staff charged her $400 for the dose before administering it; bills also listed charges for administering the injection and the visit. The clinic’s CEO said its policy is to treat patients first and address payment later, while its medical director said Rowell was asked to pay first because staff considered her stable.