Hospitals are increasingly demanding surgeries including childbirth are paid for up-front, forcing some Americans to delay vital health procedures

Daily Mail UK ^ | May 9, 2024 | Rachel Bowman

[Morgana]

Increasing numbers of Americans are sharing they are getting asked to pay medicals bills in advanced in order to receive vital health treatments.

Hospitals have resorted to requiring patients to pay for services in order to receive them, in an effort to battle debt as costs of operations rise. In the past, hospital would typically bill patients after a procedure.

U.S. hospitals have provided more than $620 billion in uncompensated patient care over the last 20 years, the American Hospital Association reported in 2020.

To combat the growing number of care that goes unpaid for, social media users are saying hospitals are increasingly asking them to pay in advance.

'Yo MedStar Health what's with this b******t pay before a surgery? My options are either scramble for $6k in two weeks and not pay bills after or not walk and be in pain? Cool cool,' said Robert Crews on X.

'My partner has to have hip surgery on April 11. We've already sunk $1k+ into the pre-surgery costs and set up payment plans for after,' said Morgan Lee.

'The doc called 20 minutes ago saying that if we can't pay $554.89 before April 9, the surgery won't happen.'

'We're already barely making rent and bills as it as it is, with things just getting tighter without partner's income during recovery,' Lee said.

'My 2nd grader developed appendicitis overnight. The hospital required a $1,463.93 pre-payment in the ER before they would take him for an emergency surgery but no one could tell us how they calculated that amount. Our ER copay is $250 and it's waived if you are admitted,' Dr. Emily Porter on X.

[Nifster]

Hospitals and medical facilities in general see lots of folks who just skip out on their bill

It costs money to run a hospital. You will get an unstaffed cold room otherwise

[JoJo354]

Oh, it’s true! Both my husband and I had surgery at South Georgia Medical Center (at different periods of time) and we had to pay our deductible AND our estimated 20% before they even scheduled the day and time of the procedures! Then we were hit with a bunch of additional charges afterward for anesthesia meds and the 2 doctors who handled it, plus various incidentals like extra time in the recovery room. My husband had to go to the ER on a Sunday and before the doctor even saw him, this lady came around and was pushing a cart with a credit card reader and asked us for our estimated 20%. They ended up charging too much and just applied it to other charges. Weird!

[BuchananBrigadeTrumpFan]

“Hospitals and medical facilities in general see lots of folks who just skip out on their bill”

Only a person who’s paycheck comes from a hospital can see “fairness” in demanding money upfront from people who have insurance but not indigents on Medicare.

[Nifster]

Your comment does not address the issue of hospitals not being paid

I made no comments about people who should not be in the country

[oldtech]

This prepayment for illegals makes perfect sense to me. We don’t necessarily discriminate against them, but if we can’t prepay for ourselves how can we expect to pay their bills under any conditions. I think we can blame Democrats mostly for this brain-dead idea.

[oldtech]

As I see it, we have a lot of hospitals who demand big money for treatment, much of that for good reason, but then poor people can possibly need some of that high-priced care which is often way outside even a moderate-income patient’s pay. I know I could never have made it except for Medicare. Fortunately, my family did not need much care until I was eligible for Medicare.

[Bratch]

[oldtech]

As I see it, we have a lot of hospitals who demand big money for treatment, much of that for good reason, but then poor people can possibly need some of that high-priced care which is often way outside even a moderate-income patient’s pay. I know I could never have made it except for Medicare. Fortunately, my family did not need much care until I was eligible for Medicare.