Report shows changes in hospital billing policies
Impact on access not clear
Most hospitals interviewed in 2005 in 12 U.S. communities had recently changed their pricing, billing, and collection policies for low-income, uninsured patients or clarified information provided to patients about their policies, according to a report by the Center for Studying Health System Change.
Most of the hospitals had increased the income threshold for full charity care or discounted services, some providing discounts of up to 400% or more of the poverty level. Other responses include prompt-pay discounts for self-pay patients at any income level, with the most generous discount for payment at the time of service.
Hospitals vary in how their discounting policies are applied, the report explains. Often, discounts are taken off of full charges and may bring prices down to those negotiated with major private insurers or government programs, thus extending a sizable discount to uninsured patients.
The study credited factors including encouragement from state and local hospital associations for the policy changes.
How the more generous pricing or discounting policies impact access to care for the uninsured remains unclear, the report states. "Market observers in some communities believed that charity care is now easier to obtain and that hospitals' efforts to better identify people up front who are eligible for charity care has helped patients and spared them the aggressive collection practices some hospitals used," the report continues.
"However, in some cases, hospitals have adopted more generous pricing policies but also have engaged in other activities to manage their payer mix that inhibits access to care for some uninsured," the report goes on to say.
Meanwhile, a recent survey released by Ceasefire on Health Care, a campaign spearheaded by former U.S. Sen. John Breaux that promotes bipartisan and incremental change to reduce the nation's uninsured, indicated that health care is a top priority for American voters.
Ensuring all children have access to basic health care was the top health care priority identified by Republicans, Independents, and Democrats in the national survey.
Most hospitals interviewed in 2005 in 12 U.S. communities had recently changed their pricing, billing, and collection policies for low-income, uninsured patients ...You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
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