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Patients Beware: Hospitals Are Increasingly Requiring Cash Up Front

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If you have insurance can a hospital charge you up front before you get discharges to 10% Co insurance cost if they have not billed yet they are suppose to charge 10% of the reasonable and customary amount so they don't know how much the insurance is going to tell them to write off if we over pay you think they will refund the difference? No they hope you completely forget about it. Is this even legal their is no deductible or copay

bertha of CA 1:16PM February 29, 2012

I am sick to death of the greedy insurance companies raising their premiums
every five minutes, so that only the very affluent can afford coverage on their
own. Then they try to get out of paying for legitimate claims or procedures,
after soaking their consumers dry with excessive premiums, co-pays and
deductibles. I think it's outrageous, this has nothing to do with illegals,
but greed pure and simple! Then the hospitals charge excessive fees to
the consumer, especially those who pay on their own and they wonder why
they don't get paid! It's all a big racket! It should be illegal to ask for payment
upfront in an emergency situation! Health care should be available to all, and
insurance premiums based on ability to pay.

P.M. of CA 6:28PM November 16, 2010

My grandson has a small health insurance, he has already used up his 5 visits a year limit.
He has had bad tonsils and sinuses for over a year now, they wanted to do surgery. We had him set up, only to find out he has to first come up with 4000.00 to the hospital before this could happen. Now you would think they would except the insurance portion and let him make payments, ( not so ).We have tried other ways, like trying to put him on medicare, since he is a student. Every thing we have tried so far has not worked, I guess we are not needy enough. Now, i have to ask, who the heck has 4000.00 up front?
I feel just having a small insurance plan would be proof enough that we are willing to make payments.
How is it that we are citizens 100 per cent in the good old U.S.A. AND THE ONES HERE ILLEGAL GET free help, with ever thing and pay no taxes?????????????? This is a disgrace and the most inhumane thing American people are having to indure. Not fair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

william cochran of GA 12:16PM October 16, 2010

This is crazy! I live on a fixed income and a single parent, so if my kids get sick and need surgery and the damn bill is 30,000 dollars your expecting my 20% now? As long as I make payments like I always have because im not rich whats the big deal? Someone needs to look at this matter and fix it now!

amy of KY 6:49PM August 24, 2010

So , I'm not clear yet about one thing:
If I got to the ER with an very acute lower abdominal pain. After triage and treatment ER Doctor decide that i need to be Admited becasue I have renal calculus, I need to pay in front to be admitted?. Can the hospital denied treatment because in that moment i don't have any credit card, check with me?

susana of FL 3:23PM August 04, 2010

Interesting. Will illegals ever be asked to provide "cash up front" for their care?
Hell NO! They will continue to get it for free while Americans w/ insurance, good jobs, etc. will take it in the nose so their costs can be covered.
This "system" that perpetuates this needs to be dismantled. And I don't mean ObamaCare as the solution!

Mary of VA 10:48PM August 03, 2010

I am extremely amazed how people choose to blame all illegals for everything. Bottom line is everyone is up fault for these issues, people not wanting to pay for their hospital bills, not wanting to pick up the phone to make sure the insurance company has every piece of information they'll need in order to pay for all medical services. It is easy to blame others , in this case the illegals which is ridiculous. There are plenty of american abusing the system. The individuals blaming the illegals are just plain ingnorant people............
Esther................. August 3 2010

Esther of NJ 8:46AM August 03, 2010

I have been in health care for almost 20 years ( in different jobs ) and I've seen it all. While surely there is enough blame to go around ( greedy hospitals, deadbeat patients who don't want to pay, and government idiocy ) I think the bottom line is hospitals are in an awful position. I have known collectors in the business offices of major hospitals. They often cannot even get a copay out of a patient. People are so used to 'insurance' paying almost everything, they don't want to be bothered. And unlike mortgages or car payments, people default because they just don't care about a stupid hospital bill.
And like here in Texas, you have to remember hospitals are subsidizing many illegals who come through for treatment. Legally, they cannot be turned away. But, who will pay their bills ? Hospitals are still trying to run a business, for better or worse, and even with charity, often cannot get what is owed them for basic services.

Ana of TX 9:08PM July 26, 2010

Most of you seem to think this is about politics...it isnt....its about GREED. Hospitals all want the very latest in equipment and gadgets. Ive spent years studying their requests for "certificates of need" for new purchases. You know where last years cat scan machines are? Sold at cut rate prices to South American countries, so that US hospitals can claim that they "need" the latest cat scan or MRI. That part isnt about greed, its about ego and recruiting/retaining doctors. Did you know that your hospital throws away millions of dollars of supplies and gear each year even though theres nothing wrong with it? I have NO sympathy for most hospitals..its all about the all mighty dollar. If they were forced to manage resources more effectively and make do with what they have....maybe prices and profits would be so bad.

Steve of PA 7:33PM July 26, 2010

One thing for sure -- the hospitals in Arizona won't have to require cash up front after Thursday!
The illegals are leaving Arizona in droves!
It took a 'woman' gov. with some gonads to get the job done.
Eat your heart out Yomama!
Oh, by the way you folks in Californication might want to leave early for the Emergency Room, most of the illegals are coming over there and New Mexico.

Pearly of AZ 3:16PM July 26, 2010