Health Care Balancing Billing Burden
pic by vision63
Should health care costs be a balancing act for individuals?
The health care industry has been building a large problem for itself. The practice of billing people even when they are insured. The two most likely areas where the practice will occur are emergencies and getting services from out of network providers. However, no one gets informed when there is a change to those participating in the network. The insurer says they have the right to limit payments to out of network providers and the health care professionals do not inform patients that their co-pay will be more than the typical co-pay. There is no incentive by the health care provider because upon signing to obtain services, patient has accepted to pay. Without legislative intervention the practice will grow and become another means of bankrupting people regardless of whether there is mandated insurance.
While states are beginning to crack down on the practice, the problem really needs federal intervention to protect a mobile society. A person’s health insurance protection should not be at risk or their health because of differences between insurers and health care providers.
Federal Regulations need to be passed to mandate that insurers and health care providers resolve their differences via government regulators. It should not be the responsibility of individuals to negotiate a compromise between these parties one bill at a time.
Organizations should weigh their carriers for how they treat policy holders when balance billing issues occur.
