Hospital bills too high? One benefits firm has new strategy: Don't pay

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.livewellnebraska.com/health/hospital-bills-too-high-one-benefits-firm-has-new-strategy/article_7508874a-fda9-11e4-8389-4bec51489050.html

Posted: Tuesday, May 19, 2015 1:00 am
By Jay Hancock / Kaiser Health News

This article was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.


In the late 1990s, you could have taken what hospitals charged to administer inpatient chemotherapy and bought a Ford Escort econobox. Today, average chemo charges (not even counting the price of the anti-cancer drugs) are enough to pay for a Lexus GX sport-utility vehicle, government data show.

Hospital prices have risen nearly three times as much as overall inflation since Ronald Reagan was president. Parties that pay hospitals have tried HMOs, accountable care organizations and other innovations to control them, with little effect.

Elap Services, a small benefits consulting firm based in Chester Springs, Pa., is causing a commotion by suggesting an alternative: Refuse to pay. When hospitals send invoices with jaw-dropping charges, Elap tells its clients (generally medium-sized employers) to just say no.

Instead, these clients pay much lower amounts, based on Elap's analysis of what is reasonable after analyzing the hospitals' financial filings.

FULL story at link.

[underpants]

1. Interesting

Thanks

[Omaha Steve]

2. Kick

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Absolutely.

Putting the brakes of rapidly rising hospital costs is crucial.
More and more people are talking about ways to do this now.

[NaturalHigh]

4. Hmm...this comes at an opportune time for me.

I just had another surgery. Fortunately I have good insurance.