Public Assisted Hospitals

yabadabadoo1026

Guru
100+ Post Club
322
All major cities have these public assisted hospitals where they go for I've presumed "free" services.

Can someone help me understand how these work----what are the prerequisites for "free", do some pay with scaled charges . Do seniors who go show their Medicare card and the hospital accepts the government pay as total due with no additional billing to the patient?

Whenever I hear "Grady" here in Atlanta I assume no need to speak with them about an Advantage plan cause you cant beat "free"--------but maybe its not free for everyone. I've come across some going to the hospital who are not on Medicaid or presumingly anywhere close to indigent.

Perhaps I have been wrong to walk away whenever I hear "grady"--thats why looking for better understanding how they work

If they take Medicare as full payment with no expectation from patient it would follow they would take insurance carrier also with no expectation from patient but I dont know. This hospital is out-of-network to be a 30% but if these hospitals have no expectation from the patient it wouldnt matter

STill arent I correct even out-of-networks have to agree to bill the carrier and do these "indigent/public assisted hospitals" ever do so or are they just willing to bill medicare?

Just looking for better understanding how they operate and is there any reason to speak to these people about a plan??----I've stayed away not knowing if its free for all or not
 
Generally speaking, I walk away from these as any attempt to work with them could result in their getting kicked off their assistance. Dual eligibles are somewhat different, but if ANYTHING ever changes or goes wrong you will be blamed for it-- no matter what the source of the problem was. From the agent's standpoint, I cannot guarantee that my involvement will improve their healthcare-- especially if they are on a county health program. I just won't risk getting them kicked out.
 
Back
Top