California Law Prevents Price-Gouging of the Uninsured

Hospital bills add up fast

Hospital bills add up fast

Medical bills are a major source of personal bankruptcy in the US. One reason is that hospitals typically bill uninsured patients wildly inflated “charges.” These prices are often double or triple the negotiated rates that insurance companies pay or that Medicare pays for the same services.

Historically hospitals defended this practice, claiming they needed high prices to compensate for the fact that few uninsured pay their bills, or even claiming to be prohibited from discounting to those who lacked a contract. There’s some truth to the first claim, yet the punishment fell upon those conscientious folks who actually tried to pay what they were billed.

As a new Health Affairs article (California’s Hospital Fair Pricing Act Reduced The Prices Actually Paid By Uninsured Patients) states:

“The pricing policies of US hospitals leave the most vulnerable patients least protected from high medical bills.”

California passed a comprehensive law to address this issue in 2006, effectively capping prices for moderate income uninsured patients at Medicare rates. According to the author’s analysis, the impact has been substantial. Hospitals have reduced their prices to the uninsured; low to moderate income patients have benefited.

The findings are important, because while the federal Affordable Care Act also addresses the issue of pricing to the uninsured, its provisions are much weaker. For example, nonprofit hospitals have the discretion to determine who is eligible for discounted charges and for-profit hospitals are exempted from the requirements.

My own view is that it’s especially important to regulate prices that are charged to uninsured people who are not covered by the ACA, such as undocumented immigrants.

I have less sympathy for those who are eligible for coverage but choose to remain uninsured. Ironically, the threat of ruinous hospital bills could be just what we need to encourage everyone to sign up for coverage.

photo: urbanbohemian via photopin cc