Uninsured patients get relief in billing dispute (OR)

[lindisfarne]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003082442_uninsured24m.html
Uninsured patients get relief in billing dispute
By Carol M. Ostrom

Seattle Times staff reporter

Uninsured patients at Providence hospitals in Oregon will get the same discount as insured patients under the first court-approved settlement in the country in a string of lawsuits against nonprofit hospitals.

The order, signed Friday by a Multnomah County Circuit Court judge, spells out details in a general agreement reached in November.

Under the settlement, in addition to giving future discounts — which amount to about 30 percent off top rates previously billed to patients without insurance — Providence Health System in Oregon must refund $194,000 to former patients and cut outstanding bills by $969,000.

Those refunds and reductions in bills affect nearly 700 patients, and they include bills back to 2002. The agreement to give uninsured patients the same "preferred provider" discount enjoyed by insured patients could potentially benefit 35,000 uninsured patients seen each year in Providence's Oregon hospitals, said John Phillips, one of the attorneys for about 1,100 patients who claimed they were overcharged.
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[fasttense]

1. But it seems to be the preferred method of repukes

to charge the least among us the most. Building their wealth on the backs of the poor, one ruined family after another.

"Phillips said. "That was the whole point of this lawsuit — the absurdity of charging the poorest people the highest prices."

This is going on throughout the US. People thought this was acceptable? That this was an OK way to recoup the expense of insurance company discounts by overcharging the poorest? What has happened to this country's sense of decency and fair play? Have we thrown out every consideration for those less fortunate in our society?

[INdemo]

2. This ain't over yet

There is too much money for the med. clinics and hsopitals to lose here..This will spread to other states and I see appeals coming.

[Warpy]

4. If this stands, expect to see insurance companies charged

higer rates to offset the loss incurred by the hospitals being unable to cost shift onto the backs of those least able to pay.

As they are forced to pay more in a given market, expect them to determine that market unprofitable and to pull out. They simply won't be able to raise their rates to a level that will give them the profit they've become used to.

Our healthcare nonsystem is breaking down. This may be one of the things that finally causes enough of a crisis to force single payer state by state.

Something has to. The present system is killing us.

[lindisfarne]

6. It's standard practice with dentists, too. My dentist's office told me a

composite filling would cost me $330 but when I pointed out my insurance covered it, the price dropped to $97 (of which I pay half).

[Celebration]

3. Hospital Bills

This varies, but many times hospital bills can be negotiated down by the poor that are uninsured, because the hospital would rather be able to collect something rather than nothing. But at best this is a haphazard approach, and depends on the luck of the draw.

The people that are really screwed now are the uninsurable, those that CANNOT get insurance at all due to health conditions, but who are middle income wage earners. For them, the hospital will not discount the fees.

This has led to the devolopment of non insurance insurance--you pay some third party to get the same discounts as the insured, without having insurance. This is all a ridiculous waste of resources.

Going to read the article now. Thanks for posting.

BTW I hope this spreads to labs too. Then uninsured often pay about quadruple the amount that the insurance companies pay.

[WildClarySage]

5. Not only is it entirely unfair to charge the most to those who can afford

it the least- they also often get the least quality of care. Even when quality of care is equal, uninsured patients should not be charged more for the same care as the insured. I don't see how a hospital could get away with discriminatory charging like that.