The Problem
I can’t pay my healthcare bill. It was not planned. I have health insurance, but my deductible is $6000 and my out of pocket max is $12,000. That bill is a lot more than I expected. The hospital calls me every other week, I don’t want to talk to them because I don’t want to tell them “I can’t.”
The Thought Process
I should have received an estimate. But it was unexpected, there was no time to shop around.
I can set up a payment plan. But that will take forever and what happens if I need additional care?
I’ll ask for a discount? But what if I don’t qualify?
I should just call and see what my options are. But they’ll pressure me to pay, it’s too stressful.
A Different Perspective
Healthcare is more than a transaction, it’s a relationship. So many healthcare services induce fear. One of the best ways to address those fears is when there’s a great relationship between patient and physician. When a patient trusts their physician, there still may be some anxiety but fear doesn’t keep the patient from receiving the care they need.
The same is true for patient financial care. If our financial care plan is created with the same attention as our health care plan, how much less fear will we experience? How more likely are we going to believe we can pay? We won’t be alone in the experience. It will be based on a relationship.
New Purpose
- An estimate is a great thing if you have time and ability to provide it.
- But an estimate doesn’t guarantee payment.
- Understanding the patient’s financial fears and anxieties will help develop a relationship that leads to payment realities, that go beyond price, that benefit both patient and provider.