MarkR

Hospitals to Underinsured: Pay Upfront

romrex, that isn't exactly right? the uninsured are the same as self-pay. that means that have more leverage than anyone with coverage. they can go to the different providers of healthcare and not only compare prices, but they can negotiate the price they will pay. doctors should gladly accept this, b/c they will still get a larger percentage than what they would actually get paid by third parties (i.e., insurance companies).

i will concede the fact that most people will not do that, and it is definitely more difficult to "shop" around for healthcare. however, there are many organizations that are popping up that provide data on quality and pricing, giving consumers more of an edge in choosing their care. this is part of the consumer-directed approach to solving our nation's healthcare delivery challenges. sure, the uninsured still have to pay, but they have leverage in the process, just the same way they have the ability to choose the mechanic they use.

what is killing our system are the people that not only don't want to negotiate, but they aren't willing to pay at all. they think the gov't should provide everything at no cost (but it does cost).