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The number of physicians providing charity care has dropped from 75 percent in the 1990s to about 66 percent today, according to a study by the Center for Studying Health System Change. It’s a trend seen across all medical specialties. Surgeons continue to offer the highest rate of free care – about 78.8 percent – a figure most consider related to the treatment of uninsured patients in emergency rooms. At just over 60 percent, pediatricians offer the lowest rate of free care among the medical specialties – perhaps because children are more likely than adults to have insurance coverage. Dr. Peter Cunningham, the center’s senior researcher, believes the drop in charity care reflects two trends:
“In the past, more physicians could afford to provide charity care because they could charge paying patients higher rates,” Cunningham said. At The Benefit Advocates, we’ve always been committed to helping our clients and their employees negotiate the best rates – regardless of the rate environment. Just ask employee M.L. Sonier, whose company’s mini-medical plan did not cover large out-of-pocket costs for her care. “As a long-term employee with my company, the change to a mini-medical plan was especially difficult for me,” she said. “When faced with a health crisis that resulted in medical bills over $200,000, my manager contacted The Benefit Advocates. “The Benefit Advocates negotiated with my providers to give me affordable payments that I could manage,” Sonier added. “They not only eased my financial burden but treated me with compassion and gave me peace of mind.” Let us do the same for you. Whether you provide full medical coverage or limited health plan benefits, call us at 800-344-5677 to reduce your hospital and provider fees.
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Negotiated
Discounts Even More Important with Less Free Care
