Anyone that has ever had to make a trip to the ER can relate to that feeling of panic & doom when you receive the bill the following week. Those of us living with a chronic health condition are sadly all too familiar with the financial burden that comes with these diseases. The cost of healthcare in the U.S. - basic, preventative care- is out of reach for more than 9 % of the population. That's over 30 million Americans without health insurance, and 137 million facing financial hardship from outstanding medical bills according to the National Center for Health Statistics.
Couple those figures with the more than 7% of grossly underinsured citizens and the result is catastrophic. Yes, hospitals as of January 2021, under the Price Transparency Rule are required to publish standard charges for items and services but these are general, ballpark figures not concrete prices. Trust me you will have to hunt for the list, hope it is in layman's terms- as all are not, and in many instances have the appropriate medical code for that service. If that doesn't give you a migraine, consider the fact you will likely NOT receive a detailed, line item list of services of your visit--which you're entitled to --without hours of back and forth calls, the assistance of an advocate or a lawsuit. Yes, it's truly that taxing, just to find out what exactly you're being charged for. Now, if you're in the midst of a medical crisis, who on earth has the capacity to do that??
On a more recent ER trip, I was rushed to the hospital with rapid heart rate, elevated blood pressure, shortness of breath and an inability to stand on my own. Due to an underlying chronic condition, an EKG is always necessary. It took me days to go through the "summary" and just as long to get answers as to how they arrived at a number greater than the average American citizens mortgage, all for the visit, CBC workup, EKG and 10 minutes--exactly ten-with the on duty physician. Mind you I was given no medicines of any kind, nor were any treatments performed. One visit. No remedy, only a referral and a bill that costs more than my first car. Insanity!
My question and that of entertainer extraordinaire and advocate Fat Joe is why? Why are more and more healthcare facilities closing or reducing services yet the costs continue to rise?? Why are patients having to fight so hard to retrieve their own data? We all know the answer--corporate greed. Fat Joe recently used his platform and voice to appeal directly to Congress about these very issues. His message is clear--American households are drowning in medical debt. Hardworking people are having to chose between buying food or trying to pay for medical expenses--outrageously, over inflated expenses.
Medical debt is unique as it can negatively impact every aspect of your life. By nature, medical debts tend to be viewed differently--a little lower on the rating scale than others. In terms of credit scoring, this is because most medical debts aren't by choice like property or vehicles-- things you choose to acquire. For most people medical debts are accidental--injury, accidents, flare ups and crisis. The problem is too often, patients don't receive a correct bill, or a bill at all before past due notices and collection proceedings begin to cause financial ruin.
Unlike a credit card bill for example, a looming medical debt can cause wage garnishment, property liens and lawsuits. An unpaid medical bill appearing on your credit file can lower your credit score as much as 65 points. Ouch!!Just as damaging, unresolved medical debts can inhibit access to employment, housing, education and even insurance. There's no denying that the health care system is broken and people are drowning. Sickness and debt don't care how you vote. I'm hopeful that Fat Joe and the Power to the Patients Advocacy Group will continue to be a voice for the voiceless--more importantly I pray that lawmakers will listen, learn and act.
#healthcare #money #FatJoe #data #advocacy
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