“Where you go for health care is your business, how it’s paid is ours” – Bill Rusteberg
Daddy’s credit card no longer works everywhere because more plan sponsors believe discrimination is wrong.
For decades plan sponsors have practiced discrimination by gifting Daddy’s lifetime unlimited credit card to plan members to use anywhere they chose. Price was never a barrier.
For example, Greta gets an MRI for $4,500 while Hans gets the same MRI for $280 five minutes away.
Sally has knee replacement surgery costing $42,000 while Jimmy gets his for $16,000. Both pay the same deductible.
Joe gets his lab test for $700 while Juan gets the same tests for $35. Both pay the same copay.
In every instance each plan member is covered under the same plan. Yet each receives a different reimbursement. That’s discrimination in the purest sense.
Daddy’s credit card is now a non-discriminating debit card, loaded with pre-defined contribution money specific to each covered medical encounter, preauthorized at the point of service.
Greta’s debit card is loaded $280 for her $4,500 MRI and she pays the difference. Lucky Hans’ debit card covers his MRI in full.
Hans, Jimmy and Joe are happy because their health care was free. Greta, Sally and Joe aren’t because theirs wasn’t. In either case none were treated differently.
Daddy’s unlimited lifetime credit card is no more because health care finance discrimination is too.
