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

[Det. Brees]

Thank your insurance company for this cRAP. I've grown to hate all insurance it's all a Ponzi scheme now. there needs to be insurance reform in this country. My wife was a CFO of a hospital till she was promoted up in the system to Chief Revenue Cycle Officer. She has told me many stories and I hear her complain about the insurance companies. she even taught me to pay cash instead of using insurance and come out way ahead.

 

[2009ring]

Thank your insurance company for this cRAP. I've grown to hate all insurance it's all a Ponzi scheme now. there needs to be insurance reform in this country. My wife was a CFO of a hospital till she was promoted up in the system to Chief Revenue Cycle Officer. She has told me many stories and I hear her complain about the insurance companies. she even taught me to pay cash instead of using insurance and come out way ahead.

While not in the C suite or the finance office, my wife is in the medical industry as well and it's disgusting that the more you know how it works, the more angry you get that it works that way.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

I asked our DON

See ! The whole healthcare system reeks of cosa nostra, mafia gangster mentality !!










Sorry just a little levity.

 

[saintmdterps]

See ! The whole healthcare system reeks of cosa nostra, mafia gangster mentality !!










Sorry just a little levity.

Director of Nursing

 

[Smaug]

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.

I think there are still some backups in the claims process.

My wife had an office visit at Ochsner six weeks ago with a specialist there. She paid the copay at the time of the visit, but we are still waiting to get the EOB from BCBS. And according to the Oschner portal, they are still waiting on a response from insurance. So the claim is stuck somewhere.

And I have a similar situation with another provider.

 

[jayd265]

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

They caught me at a bad time. But yea I agree. I should’ve not paid. It was ridiculous

 

[CapitalCitySaint]

FYI - hospitals get reimbursed with federal funding for providing uncompensated care at some % (I haven’t worked on the acute care side of healthcare for 6 years so can’t remember what the % is) and if they weren’t raking in millions & billions in profit, I’d feel bad for them.

Also, the US government has banned physician owned hospitals bc how could physicians possibly know what’s best for patients over corporations and insurance companies.

This country sucks. We need to revolt and get rid of our corporate overlords and burn this whole system to the ground.

 

[Saint_Ward]

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.

Yes. Dentists also give you an itemized bill of services, the expected insurance coverage, and your costs. Much like getting a surgery. Anything pre planned, there is an argument about being paid up front.

 

[2009ring]

Yes. Dentists also give you an itemized bill of services, the expected insurance coverage, and your costs. Much like getting a surgery. Anything pre planned, there is an argument about being paid up front.

A fair statement and good point.

 

[GeauxWhoDats]

I have two friends that left their traditional medical practices to become à la carte Doctors. They work from home, make house calls and retain privileges at 2 separate hospitals for tests/procedures. They do not accept insurance of any kind. They bill their patients for their services and even offer a retainer program for ongoing medical issues. Very rarely do their accounts receivable get outside of the 60 day timeframe.

 

[saintmdterps]

FYI - hospitals get reimbursed with federal funding for providing uncompensated care at some % (I haven’t worked on the acute care side of healthcare for 6 years so can’t remember what the % is) and if they weren’t raking in millions & billions in profit, I’d feel bad for them.

Also, the US government has banned physician owned hospitals bc how could physicians possibly know what’s best for patients over corporations and insurance companies.

This country sucks. We need to revolt and get rid of our corporate overlords and burn this whole system to the ground.

Medical insurance companies are run by bean counters and lawyers. There are no clinicians involved at any level in policy and procedure.

Healthcare in the US is the most corrupt broken system in any developed nation

 

[town123]

As a Canadian I really can't comment without getting some side-eye. Help me understand why there's no universal healthcare in the states.

 

[TheRealJRad]

As a Canadian I really can't comment without getting some side-eye. Help me understand why there's no universal healthcare in the states.

Profits.

 

[sonicboom]

As a Canadian I really can't comment without getting some side-eye. Help me understand why there's no universal healthcare in the states.

Look up Affordable Care Act. That is about the closest thing to universal healthcare in the U.S..

Most people with decent jobs have private health insurance, which is generally better (if it's not HMO), but it has some out of pocket expenses. It's similar to your private dental insurance.

PPO insurance is far better than, the Canadian Heath Care System, HMO, and Obama Care (Affordable Care Act). The down side of private health insurance (PPO), is that the out of pocket expenses can really add up, but it's far better care, if you can afford the deductibles.

I think you can get gap health insurance to cover deductibles, but I don't believe to many people have that extra coverage. Some companies contribute funds to a deductible holding account, but that's another uncommon practice I believe.

 

[town123]

Look up Affordable Care Act. That is about the closest thing to universal healthcare in the U.S..

Most people with decent jobs have private health insurance, which is generally better (if it's not HMO), but it has some out of pocket expenses. It's similar to your private dental insurance.

PPO insurance is far better than, the Canadian Heath Care System, HMO, and Obama Care (Affordable Care Act). The down side of private health insurance (PPO), is that the out of pocket expenses can really add up, but it's far better care, if you can afford the deductibles.

I think you can get gap health insurance to cover deductibles, but I don't believe to many people have that extra coverage. Some companies contribute funds to a deductible holding account, but that's another uncommon practice I believe.

Yep I'm familiar with Obamacare ACA. What would PPO cost per month? I'm not sure I like that folks have to tie their job with their insurance as it potentially gives firms leverage over employee's when the economy goes south. Canadian health care system is expensive, funding %, but is pretty effective like almost every other country that has UHC. We have our sin taxes on gas, tobacco and alcohol which pretty much pays for our healthcare.