By Bill Rusteberg
The United States is the only country on the planet where medical caregivers bill patients knowing they will never be paid in full. Every bill is discounted and often more than once.
An example is an ASC billed charge of $59,000 for a deviated septum surgery on a 12-year-old boy. We questioned the amount and put a stop payment on the TPAs check run.
We met with the ASC’s CEO to discuss. Faster than you could say “Wow!” the bill dropped to $35,000, then down to $25,000. Then it was our turn. We discounted to $3,200. He took it.
That’s a triple discount monte.
Discount pricing gives the illusion of value gained when there isn’t. A 50% discount off double the price is counterfeit value minted by providers in partnership with their carrier partners.
Managed care networks thrive on discounts. Their business model depends upon up charging in partnership with medical caregivers. The spread between billed and allowed is fertile ground for third party intermediaries skimming off the top.
That’s where the real money is and discounts make it possible.
“Double your pleasure, double your fun with double mint, double mint, double mint gun.” NEWEST VERSION: Double your pleasure double your fun with the best double priced discounts found under the sun …………….
HOMEWORK READING ASSIGNMENT: Billed Charges Disco Magic
