Hospital Prepayment Requirements Add New Wrinkles to Patients’ Financial Responsibility
Hospitals and other medical providers are increasingly asking for payment before providing care, collecting more of what patients might owe as rising insurance deductibles add to Americans' financial pressures.
Thomas Zordani, a resident of Denver, traveled to Phoenix to consult a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon for his recurring headaches. He was informed that the clinic was not in his insurance provider's network, leading to a $5,000 prepayment demand. Zordani, believing his plan had out-of-network benefits, refused to pay and had his appointment canceled.
Mayo Clinic later acknowledged that the prepayment was a communication issue and expressed regret for Zordani's experience. This trend of hospitals requesting prepayments is becoming more common, driven by rising deductibles and increasing hospital costs. Patients are now being asked to self-insure, potentially leading to difficulties in meeting deductibles as hospital prices and drug costs continue to rise.
This issue highlights the challenge of maintaining patient access to care while addressing the financial burden on patients.
Written by urgent.news from KFF Health News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
