A plain people's clinic?

A place to relate, share, care for, and support one another. A place to share about our daily activities and events around the home.
haithabu
Posts: 361
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2016 6:11 pm
Location: Calgary
Affiliation: Missionary Church

A plain people's clinic?

Post by haithabu »

One of my cousins has just had surgery for a herniated disc in Tijuana. And I quote from the family email:
They are at a clinic in Tijuana which exists for/was planned for "plain people" or Mennonites who will pay cash, and don't have insurance. It has been in operation for many years, and is much cheaper, and people using their services are very satisfied. D_____ went there for surgery a few years ago. [They] have an apartment right at the clinic for the time they are there. They are meeting many other stripes of Mennonite/Amish and making friends and supporting each other.....
This is the first I have heard of this though it makes sense for people who for reasons of conscience don't have medical insurance. Has anyone on this board heard of it?
0 x
MaxPC
Posts: 9044
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2016 9:09 pm
Location: Former full time RVers
Affiliation: PlainRomanCatholic
Contact:

Re: A plain people's clinic?

Post by MaxPC »

It certainly makes sense to me. In the long run everyone benefits in those settings because the clinic doesn't have to employ a special department of people to process the insurance.
0 x
Max (Plain Catholic)
Mt 24:35
Proverbs 18:2 A fool does not delight in understanding but only in revealing his own mind.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God
User avatar
Josh
Posts: 23806
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 6:23 pm
Location: 1000' ASL
Affiliation: The church of God

Re: A plain people's clinic?

Post by Josh »

MaxPC wrote:It certainly makes sense to me. In the long run everyone benefits in those settings because the clinic doesn't have to employ a special department of people to process the insurance.
That's not entirely the case; many mutual aid plans do contact the office (often to see about a discount) and also require an itemised bill. In the case of this facility, it's equivalent to an in-network facility with traditional insurance.
0 x
Judas Maccabeus
Posts: 3878
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:13 am
Location: Maryland
Affiliation: Con. Menno.

Re: A plain people's clinic?

Post by Judas Maccabeus »

Josh wrote:
MaxPC wrote:It certainly makes sense to me. In the long run everyone benefits in those settings because the clinic doesn't have to employ a special department of people to process the insurance.
That's not entirely the case; many mutual aid plans do contact the office (often to see about a discount) and also require an itemised bill. In the case of this facility, it's equivalent to an in-network facility with traditional insurance.
They can get the "cash in advance" price or even the standard rate insurance companies pay. Here in the MD and PA areas it is done through the Old Order Group coverage plan for Lancaster County Amish. Preferred heath manages it. For a hospital or group practice like us, it is no problem, they are 100% likely to pay the bill. :D

However, overseas healthcare is even more reasonable. My daughter paid like 2000$, all inclusive for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Jordan. That would likely go 10,000+ in the states. Her insurance paid it with a smile.

J.M.
0 x
:hug:
User avatar
Josh
Posts: 23806
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 6:23 pm
Location: 1000' ASL
Affiliation: The church of God

Re: A plain people's clinic?

Post by Josh »

In a non-plain dominated area it's a giant pain.
One hospital network here will not negotiate cash prices down one penny as a matter of policy.
0 x
haithabu
Posts: 361
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2016 6:11 pm
Location: Calgary
Affiliation: Missionary Church

Re: A plain people's clinic?

Post by haithabu »

That's because you as an individual even with cash don't have the purchasing power of a large plan. The difference between the insured price and the uninsured price is a volume discount in favour of the insurance company.
0 x
Judas Maccabeus
Posts: 3878
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:13 am
Location: Maryland
Affiliation: Con. Menno.

Re: A plain people's clinic?

Post by Judas Maccabeus »

haithabu wrote:That's because you as an individual even with cash don't have the purchasing power of a large plan. The difference between the insured price and the uninsured price is a volume discount in favour of the insurance company.
That is likely why they have Preferred Health managing it.

J.M.
0 x
:hug:
Judas Maccabeus
Posts: 3878
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:13 am
Location: Maryland
Affiliation: Con. Menno.

Re: A plain people's clinic?

Post by Judas Maccabeus »

Josh wrote:In a non-plain dominated area it's a giant pain.
One hospital network here will not negotiate cash prices down one penny as a matter of policy.
You mean they are charging you the charge master price even if you pay cash up front? Absurd! The charge master price is a fiction, that only "bill me later, I may or may not pay" should encounter. You mean your area does not have enough conservative mennos to form a co-op ? (Which is what the Amish healthcare program is).

J.M.
0 x
:hug:
User avatar
Josh
Posts: 23806
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 6:23 pm
Location: 1000' ASL
Affiliation: The church of God

Re: A plain people's clinic?

Post by Josh »

Judas Maccabeus wrote:
Josh wrote:In a non-plain dominated area it's a giant pain.
One hospital network here will not negotiate cash prices down one penny as a matter of policy.
You mean they are charging you the charge master price even if you pay cash up front? Absurd! The charge master price is a fiction, that only "bill me later, I may or may not pay" should encounter. You mean your area does not have enough conservative mennos to form a co-op ? (Which is what the Amish healthcare program is).

J.M.
There are plenty of coops, but the hospital networks in Summit and Stark County only participate in the largest one (Samaritan's). One system (Summa) has a simple policy for uninsured patients: they charge you their book price. If you don't like it you can apply for Ohio's assistance programme. If you don't qualify for that, your option is bankruptcy or litigate for a lower price. They won't lower to R&CR, ever.

Many other larger networks are starting to do this with uninsured patients as well. So far the Catholic health systems haven't done this, but given how profit oriented they have become I expect they aren't too far behind.

As far as "paying cash" goes that is a fiction at all but the smallest specialists or doctors' offices - for procedures in a large system, it can take weeks or even months for them to get a bill out. And the will not tell you ahead of time how much something will cost, and there is no negotiating on the price.

Anabaptists would do well to set up their own clinics and specialists to serve both themselves and others, but we seem more interested in building up businesses that grow really cheap chickens or provide storage barns so Americans can store even more stuff, or run health care ministries overseas when our own people at home are often on the brink of bankruptcy if the ambulance takes them to the wrong ER.
0 x
Judas Maccabeus
Posts: 3878
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:13 am
Location: Maryland
Affiliation: Con. Menno.

Re: A plain people's clinic?

Post by Judas Maccabeus »

Josh wrote:
Judas Maccabeus wrote:
Josh wrote:In a non-plain dominated area it's a giant pain.
One hospital network here will not negotiate cash prices down one penny as a matter of policy.
You mean they are charging you the charge master price even if you pay cash up front? Absurd! The charge master price is a fiction, that only "bill me later, I may or may not pay" should encounter. You mean your area does not have enough conservative mennos to form a co-op ? (Which is what the Amish healthcare program is).

J.M.
There are plenty of coops, but the hospital networks in Summit and Stark County only participate in the largest one (Samaritan's). One system (Summa) has a simple policy for uninsured patients: they charge you their book price. If you don't like it you can apply for Ohio's assistance programme. If you don't qualify for that, your option is bankruptcy or litigate for a lower price. They won't lower to R&CR, ever.

Many other larger networks are starting to do this with uninsured patients as well. So far the Catholic health systems haven't done this, but given how profit oriented they have become I expect they aren't too far behind.

As far as "paying cash" goes that is a fiction at all but the smallest specialists or doctors' offices - for procedures in a large system, it can take weeks or even months for them to get a bill out. And the will not tell you ahead of time how much something will cost, and there is no negotiating on the price.

Anabaptists would do well to set up their own clinics and specialists to serve both themselves and others, but we seem more interested in building up businesses that grow really cheap chickens or provide storage barns so Americans can store even more stuff, or run health care ministries overseas when our own people at home are often on the brink of bankruptcy if the ambulance takes them to the wrong ER.
Yeah, I have heard that the lawyers had taken over. Only problem would be you would be in all kinds of problems if you tried to limit it to just plain people. The "Cash only" though may have the desired effect, though.

We give a 50% cash prepayment discount, but diagnostic imaging is perhaps a unique speciality.

J.M.
0 x
:hug:
Post Reply