Jun 3 2010
Doing some simple homework before receiving medical treatment may help consumers save money,
The Associated Press reports. "Here are some things to consider before checking in to a hospital or outpatient surgery center for non-emergency care. Be prepared to ask your doctor or insurer questions." Among them: Is the procedure covered by one's insurance? Does the insurer require pre-authorization for a given procedure? Are the doctors and facilities involved in the procedure part of one's insurer's network?
Also, those with limited or no insurance may confront a separate set of issues. They should "[f]ind out whether the hospital or surgery center provides self-pay discounts or charity care options or if you can pay the Medicare rate for a procedure. A social worker or someone in the billing office may be able to help you" (Murphy, 6/1).
This article was reprinted from khn.org with permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent news service, is a program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan health care policy research organization unaffiliated with Kaiser Permanente. |