When did hospitals start collecting payment during registration? (1 Viewer)

[Saint_Ward]

Sadly, I've been a plus 1 to far too many ER visits. My wife ended up in the ER last night (she's ok now).

After her initial treatment and Dr visit, the registration person came in to verify insurance info, address, etc., which is typical.

She then said our coinsurance was 10%, and of wanted to pay our bill of $300 something now. I've never been asked that in an ER ever before.

I first said, have they even billed all the tests and services yet? She was still being treated. I said no thanks, I'll wait until it goes through insurance to make sure everything is properly accounted for and reviewed.

I think this kind of shocked her. Then she says ok, and sort of passive aggressively says, "hope you feel better". Like she did not mean it at all like how most people say it.

When did this practice start? I've always been billed afterwards? It's not a copay, it's coinsurance.

Dr visit, sure. Planned surgery, sure. ER, while you're still in some level of trauma... get the heck out of here.

 

[SWJJ]

I have made a few ER trips up here (NWLA) in the last year and never once was I asked for payment at registration.

 

[Devildog]

Obviously you can refuse and they still have to treat you.

Ah, the good ol' American healthcare system.

 

[Saint_Ward]

Obviously you can refuse and they still have to treat you.

Ah, the good ol' American healthcare system.

Oh yeah, I wasn't concerned about that. Just more stunned.

 

[saintmdterps]

The US healthcare system is not designed to treat patients, it’s designed to extract revenue from them so what the OP saw was the system demonstrating it’s priorities.

 

[0rion]

And anyone that has dealt with the healthcare billing process knows it's a sheet show. No way I'd pay up front. We randomly get bills from a year ago or even later. It's ridiculous really.

 

[jayd265]

I went to the ER in April 2021 via Acadian ambulance since my back locked up to where I couldn’t move at all.

Once I was treated in the er, they came in to collect a 1,000 payment before we left.

I was like wtf dude

 

[sonicboom]

"The prepay trend is happening because hospitals are being stuck with big unpaid bills as Americans foot more of the cost of their medical care and struggle to pay those expenses. While insurers still cover the bulk of a patient's medical expenses, hospitals now collect 30 percent of their revenue from patients, up from 10 percent in 2002. Hospitals are finding out that people are less reliable payers than insurance companies."

Should You Ever Prepay a Hospital Bill?

More hospitals are pushing patients with health insurance to prepay their hospital bills. Consumer Reports tells you what you need to know before you show them the money.

www.consumerreports.org

It maybe possible to file bankruptcy to clear medical debt,, and medical debt can add up quickly, so it makes sense.

 

[Nisey55]

I went to the ER in April 2021 via Acadian ambulance since my back locked up to where I couldn’t move at all.

Once I was treated in the er, they came in to collect a 1,000 payment before we left.

I was like wtf dude

Was the grand for Acadian? Those people have lost their minds. My parents had a so called discount or ins. policy for Acadian and would still get a bill for 6 or 7 hundred for a 10 minute ride. And that was years ago.
I believe the prepayment at hospitals is largely due to the fact that our deductibles are so high and many people simply cannot afford to pay them plus the premiums.

 

[sonicboom]

Illegal Immigrants Leave US Hospitals With Billions in Unpaid Bills

Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants are flooding U.S. hospitals for treatment and leaving billions in uncompensated health care costs

amac.us

Denver hospital system may collapse due to migrant crisis: 'We are turning down patients'

A Denver hospital system told the city Monday it faces unprecedented challenges due to the ongoing migrant crisis.

wpde.com

 

[jayd265]

Was the grand for Acadian? Those people have lost their minds. My parents had a so called discount or ins. policy for Acadian and would still get a bill for 6 or 7 hundred for a 10 minute ride. And that was years ago.
I believe the prepayment at hospitals is largely due to the fact that our deductibles are so high and many people simply cannot afford to pay them plus the premiums.

Oh hell no. that was at the ER. acadian was like 5,000 for a 10 minute uber when they didnt do anything but bring me from point a to be. no med, no nothing.

but then again. i physically couldnt get up so it was that or nothing.

 

[Sailorsaint]

Oh hell no. that was at the ER. acadian was like 5,000 for a 10 minute uber when they didnt do anything but bring me from point a to be. no med, no nothing.

but then again. i physically couldnt get up so it was that or nothing.

Had you been able to bend over, there was probably a barrel in your future.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Ive said it before, but it’s worth saying again, even if im just screaming into the void: The American healthcare system is a total and complete SCAM .

 

[saintmdterps]

I went to the ER in April 2021 via Acadian ambulance since my back locked up to where I couldn’t move at all.

Once I was treated in the er, they came in to collect a 1,000 payment before we left.

I was like wtf dude

Do not prepay. You are entitled to an itemized invoice for services rendered so wait until those services have actually been rendered

I got an itemized bill for ER services that included 422.00 for “self-administered medication” I called the billing office to find out what the meds were. It was for 2 500mg Levaquin antibiotics. I knew from my tenure in healthcare that Levaquin was an old off-patent medication

I asked our DON if she would call the pharmacy the facility used and get a price. She did—10 bucks.

So I took a few breaths and called the hospital billing dept, reminding myself I’m speaking to a clerk far removed from price-setting. “So here’s how this is going to go. Levaquin 500mg x2 is about 10 dollars I’m going to pay 20 dollars. You’ll send me an amended invoice reflecting the new total by end of day and I’ll pay my balance in full. If you do not, I’ll send you 5 dollars a month for eternity and my next call will be to the NC state insurance commissioners office to report your price gouging”

Long pause “I need to talk to my supervisor”

I got the amended invoice later that day. What happens to the thousands who don’t know any better?

**** on this system

 

[2009ring]

Fun fact (wife is in the healthcare industry)

United Healthcare owns Change Healthcare which is a huge medical claim processing company. When they were cyber attacked, UHC had no way to process/pay the claims and providers were extremely cash poor. This may be why this hospital went this route.

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/27/unitedhealth-group-paid-over-3-billion-to-providers-since-cyberattack.html

Side note - Dentists have been doing this for years.