General Discussion

JNinWB

(250 posts)

21. Hospitals are not lending institutions.

Sun Nov 10, 2013, 12:22 PM

Nov 2013

We would not consider going to Bank of America, or Citibank, for a hip replacement; why expect hospitals to finance health services? Hospitals should be assured of full payment from the insured patients, not the taxpayers.

Individuals, who select high deductible policies must realize that a hospitalization will cost the full deductible and make prior arrangements for payment. Credit cards, equity lines, borrowing from dad and savings accounts can be used. Anyone going in for elective surgery should make financial arrangements in advance of the procedure.

I'm sure that hospitals already have arrangements with lenders to work with those who need financial assistance to pay their hospital bills. Hospitals can not refuse to provide emergency services, but they need to be paid.

I'm in favor of Single Payer, but that's not what we have.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

37 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Does the Affordable Care Act make it illegal for hospitals to demand entire deductibles up front? [View all] MrsKirkley Nov 2013 OP

First, it might be helpful Le Taz Hot Nov 2013 #1

A relative of mine went in for a kidney procedure and... Hugin Nov 2013 #4

The affordable care act begins in ernest in January, so this payment loudsue Nov 2013 #10

Their reply was "they are not a bank" when he asked about financing the co-pay. Hugin Nov 2013 #26

So what did he do? nm rhett o rick Nov 2013 #14

He hit me and other family up for some "loans". Hugin Nov 2013 #29

Here are a few: enlightenment Nov 2013 #9

kick Hugin Nov 2013 #2

Kaiser was going to charge me $115 for a $15 prescription.. SoCalDem Nov 2013 #7

I have a kidney stone right now. xmas74 Nov 2013 #8

Good question. I, too, would like to know the answer. n/t Laelth Nov 2013 #3

... Hugin Nov 2013 #6

I think a better question would be, "Does the ACA change the current practice of requiring rhett o rick Nov 2013 #15

That's certainly possible. Laelth Nov 2013 #17

I dont either and would. I just didnt like the implications of the question. rhett o rick Nov 2013 #18

ACA is not responsible and ACA makes it worse Yo_Mama Nov 2013 #37

Surely there's a copy of the actual law somewhere or other , dipsydoodle Nov 2013 #5

The answer is "no" enlightenment Nov 2013 #11

I sort of did. StrayKat Nov 2013 #13

I hadn't heard of this trend. StrayKat Nov 2013 #12

There's a whole shit load of cracks to fall through. L0oniX Nov 2013 #16

Message auto-removed Name removed Nov 2013 #19

Hello ~ Alice B. TokeLess. In_The_Wind Nov 2013 #20

Hospitals are not lending institutions. JNinWB Nov 2013 #21

How can one choose a low deductible policy if their employer only offers a high deductible policy MrsKirkley Nov 2013 #22

I have been involved in selecting small group coverage for many years. JNinWB Nov 2013 #23

Many people select high deductible plans because they can't afford the premiums on low... Humanist_Activist Nov 2013 #25

For many, a $6300 deductible plan might as well be $50,000. JNinWB Nov 2013 #28

They aren't consumers, they are patients who need medical care... Humanist_Activist Nov 2013 #31

They are consumers... Keefer Nov 2013 #33

Many of us have no choice whatsoever Yo_Mama Nov 2013 #36

I've never experienced a hospital that demanded payment up front. lumberjack_jeff Nov 2013 #24

i was hospitalized for a few days a couple years ago. the bill came six weeks later. dionysus Nov 2013 #27

ACA institutionalized this growing trend Yo_Mama Nov 2013 #35

Several other interesting bits of info: JNinWB Nov 2013 #30

Of course not and if they did the phony penalty would involve a wag of the finger TheKentuckian Nov 2013 #32

No, it does not Yo_Mama Nov 2013 #34