Long ago I did work helping people who couldn't pay their medical bills. First thing I learned was merely calling the medical billing folks and offering to help make a deal would knock at least 10% of the total due. Then, just offer a realistic payment plan. $25/year in cash from an elderly migrant farmworker who only gets work a few weeks a year and is facing a full coronary ER, ICU and hospital huge bill? OK, approved! Seen that happen. The medical billing folks just don't want a stone cold dead debt on their books.
Many medical bills can also be reduced 30% if paid in full in cash or check within 30 days especially if no medical insurers are involved. Plus, new US federal laws in 2021 and 2022 require more transparency on many medical services so some consumers can shop a bit better for prices such as out-patient tests.
If anyone needs to hear something positive about Stanford after my rant above, I suggest reading or listening to professors Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and PhD-classicist Victor Davis Hanson such as here for audio, video and transcripts: https://www.hoover.org/publications/uncommon-knowledge
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branchandroot
Re: The Good and the Ungood
Date: 2023-06-29 06:07 am (UTC)Long ago I did work helping people who couldn't pay their medical bills. First thing I learned was merely calling the medical billing folks and offering to help make a deal would knock at least 10% of the total due. Then, just offer a realistic payment plan. $25/year in cash from an elderly migrant farmworker who only gets work a few weeks a year and is facing a full coronary ER, ICU and hospital huge bill? OK, approved! Seen that happen. The medical billing folks just don't want a stone cold dead debt on their books.
Many medical bills can also be reduced 30% if paid in full in cash or check within 30 days especially if no medical insurers are involved. Plus, new US federal laws in 2021 and 2022 require more transparency on many medical services so some consumers can shop a bit better for prices such as out-patient tests.
If anyone needs to hear something positive about Stanford after my rant above, I suggest reading or listening to professors Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and PhD-classicist Victor Davis Hanson such as here for audio, video and transcripts:
https://www.hoover.org/publications/uncommon-knowledge
W.R.