Thread: Naples-based HMA settles class-action suit with Consejo de L

So evidently if you aren't insured you can try and bring a suit against a hospital. Just find out what an ins co WILL pay and they just might lower the charges?

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/feb ... _d/?latest

Naples-based HMA settles class-action suit with Consejo de Latinos Unidos
Thursday, February 1, 2007

Consejo de Latinos Unidos announced a settlement Thursday with Naples-based hospital operator Health Management Associates that will lower costs for patients without insurance.

A class-action suit was filed against HMA challenging its pricing practices for the uninsured. HMA charged the class representative, Jose Manuel Quintana, $3,040 after he visited one of its hospitals for chest pain. An insurance company would have paid no more than $1,000 for the visit, according to Consejo.

HMA will now offer discounts and refunds of up to 60 percent to the uninsured, and charge them the hospital's average managed care rate.

In January 2003, Consejo made national headlines after coercing the nation's second largest for-profit hospital system, Tenet

Healthcare, to change its aggressive pricing policy for the uninsured.

And if he had a legal SS#, he would be reported to the
credit bureau like the rest of we, LEGAL, Americans,
millions of whom are reported everyday because our
insurance that we pay buckets for....did not finish paying
for our bill. Because we have ins. , we get charged higher
prices to compensate for those who DO NOT have insurance.
So Americans with SS#'s, blinkety, blanked again.

And 3,000 dollars for an ER visit for chest pain sounds just
about right. considering lab,ekg,xray and time.

Yes, Jean

I worked hospitals for over 30 yrs.
If you walk in and say you do not have health ins,
and you will pay, they give you, basically, a cut rate
deal.
The hospital has a price for services with and without
insurance. The ins. co.'s agree to a price with the hospital
which is usually low. Hospitals have to add to their costs in
order to make the ins co's pay the price, but will negotiate
lower prices. This is the price they will give to a patient with
no insurance.
Hospitals also have to charge more in order to cover their
costs of the patients who have no insurance.

Vanderbilt gives a 25% discount for cash payments.