“If a hospital (y) later turns down “two times Medicare (2x) and it goes to court, their lawyer is going to say, ‘We could lose this thing……………………..”
200% of Medicare represents a “savings” over a typical 60% PPO discount?
Quizzify’s Surprise Medical Bills Solution
Featured in New York Times
Those of you who automatically delete our emails may have missed this. But now it’s national news so DON’T HIT THAT DELETE KEY, at least not yet.
Quizzify’s innovative shield against surprise medical bills for emergency visits, admissions, and deliveries just received a writeup in the New York Times. While the entire article is a great read, we’d be lying if we didn’t admit our favorite part is this:
By writing in their own limits, patients might have leverage in negotiations or even in courts if out-of-network payment disputes arise, or at least proof they didn’t agree to pay the total charges, say some advocates and legal scholars.
Patients who try this could still get hit with a large balance bill. But “the difference is you can say ‘I offered this, but they refused it,’” rather than signing the original agreement to pay all charges, said Al Lewis, chief executive of Quizzify, an employee health care education company, who is a proponent of setting your own terms.
He came up with the twice-Medicare benchmark, even putting suggested wording for patients to print and carry with them on downloadable wallet cards, because he says it’s an amount that’s defensible.
If a hospital later turns down “two times Medicare and it goes to court, their lawyer is going to say, ‘We could lose this thing,’” said Mr. Lewis.
As the article notes, the particular pricing point chosen for the consent template, two times Medicare, is low enough to save commercially insured patients a great deal of money, while high enough that a hospital that refuses to accept it (but legally is required to treat the patient anyway) is not going to win in court if indeed no fee is agreed upon.
Nor can a provider make up a shortfall by billing for unneeded services, since the consent specifically applies only to “appropriate” care.
Most importantly, anyone can use this “shield,” an informed consent that combines Dr. Marty Makary’s “battlefield consents” with reference-based pricing, pioneered by Montana’s pioneering guru, Marilyn Bartlett, and uber-adviser David Contorno.
A paper version can be downloaded here. You can also drop this consent – plus several “conversation starters” featuring questions you always forget to ask your doctor – right into your Apple Wallet.
Of course, this consent – and these “conversation starters” for doctor visits – would be far more useful in the context of Quizzify than standalone. After all, giving a 16-year-old a car is more likely to succeed if it comes with driving lessons.
We are available for any follow-up conversations.
PS By now you should have received an invitation to the great wellness debate at the March 30 World Health Care Congress, which we will be participating in – endorsed by GOP Senator Lamar Alexander and Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin. In the immortal words of the great philosopher Dizzy Dean, don’t fail to miss it.
Wiser Employees Make Healthier Decisions
Quizzify provides the education employees need to be health-literate, wiser and more confident healthcare consumers.
Teach employees how to navigate the ins and outs of their health benefits and gain valuable information about better health practices. With quizzes reviewed by doctors at Harvard Medical School, Quizzify helps employees live healthier lives and save money on healthcare… without collecting any private health information.
Contact us directly for more information or to schedule a demo.
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