Oct 19, 2018 | Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology, Laboratory Testing, Managed Care Contracts & Payer Reimbursement, Management & Operations
Employers and consumers continue to pay more for health benefits from one year to the next, continuing a trend that is not auspicious for clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups
Most clinical laboratories don’t have the capability to collect payments from patients at time of service the same way patients pay doctors during office visits. Thus, Milliman’s annual report which details the increasing amounts patients are expected to pay out of their own pockets should be of interest to clinical laboratory managers and stakeholders. As this trend accelerates, labs will need to adopt new procedures and technologies to conduct business and remain profitable.
The Milliman Medical Index report (MMI) details how much consumers are predicted to pay for healthcare each year, as compared to previous years. Milliman, a Seattle-based independent actuarial and consulting firm with offices throughout the world, examines healthcare costs, property and casualty insurance, life insurance, financial services, and employee benefits.
Milliman released its first MMI in 2005. That year, the average annual medical cost for a family of four was $12,214.
Both Employees and Employers to See Increase in Healthcare Costs
The 2018 MMI report provides both good and bad news for the healthcare industry and patients. Milliman examined the costs for a typical family of four that participates in an employee-sponsored health insurance plan. For the report, a family of four consists of a 47-year old male, a 37-year old female, and two children under the age of five.
The MMI estimates a family of four will spend an average of $28,166 in healthcare expenditures in 2018. Included in this amount is the cost of the insurance paid by the employers and the employees, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses. The figure represents an increase of $1,222 from 2017. The report found the amount families have been paying for healthcare has been increasing by an average of $100 per month over the last ten years.
The graphic above, taken from the 2018 Milliman Medical Index report, illustrates the increasing medical costs for a family of four. (Image copyright: Milliman.)
Both employers and employees will see an upsurge in costs from last year with employees experiencing an increase of 5.9% and employers seeing an increase of 3.5%.
The MMI found that employees will pay approximately 44% of their healthcare costs in 2018. By contrast, in 2008 employees paid less than 40% of their healthcare expenditures. In 2018, employers will pay about $15,788 of healthcare costs for a family of four, the employee will pay $7,674 via payroll deductions, with the remaining $4,704 being out-of-pocket expenses.
Costs Increasing While Growth Slows
The MMI also found that while the dollar amount families are spending on healthcare is increasing, the overall pace of the growth is slowing. The 4.5% rate of increase over last year is the slowest percentage growth in 18 years.
“We asked key stakeholders across the healthcare system what might be driving the decline in growth rates,” said Sue Hart, co-author of the MMI, in a Milliman news release. “Several common themes emerged, in particular provider engagement, more effective provider contracting, value-driven plan design, and spillover effects from public program initiatives.”
The reasons cited for this slowing trend include:
- Involvement of healthcare providers to reduce costs;
- More sophisticated contracting and provider consolidation;
- Increased member cost sharing;
- High deductible health plans;
- Role of government and public programs; and the,
- Impact of pharmacy initiatives.
“There are two ways of looking at this year’s MMI,” said Chris Girod, co-author of the Milliman Medical Index, in the news release. “On the one hand it’s heartening to see the rate of healthcare cost increase remain low. On the other hand, we’re still talking about more than $28,000 in total healthcare costs for the typical American family.”
The MMI graphic above breaks down healthcare costs into their constituent categories. (Image copyright: Milliman.)
To explore how costs have grown, the MMI examined five separate components of services. The typical family of four spends:
- 31% ($8,631) of their healthcare costs on inpatient facility care;
- 29% ($8,257) on professional services;
- 19% ($5,395) on outpatient facility care; and,
- 17% ($4,888) on pharmacy services.
The remaining 4% ($995) of costs are spent on other services, such as:
- Home healthcare;
- Ambulance services;
- Durable medical equipment; and,
- Prosthetics.
The MMI measures costs for a typical family of four, but certain families or individuals may have variations in costs depending on such factors as age, gender, health status, geographic area, provider variation, and insurance coverage.
Prescription drug costs is one such variance that is hard to predict. The 2018 MMI determined drug costs for a family of four increased by 6%, which represents the lowest percentage increase since 2015.
“Prescription drug costs have steadied, but this trend is volatile and hard to predict,” said Scott Weltz, co-author of the MMI in the news release. “High-cost drugs can have a big impact on trends, as we witnessed a few years ago when hepatitis C treatments hit the market. Alternatively, point-of-sale rebates could push a consumer’s costs in the other direction, particularly for people taking high-cost drugs. As the environment evolves, changes in drug prices can be deployed quite quickly.”
Scott Waltz (left), Christopher Girod (center), and Susan Hart (right) are Principles, Consulting Actuaries, for Milliman in Seattle. They co-authored the 2018 annual Milliman Medical Index report, which outlines the rising burden of out-of-pocket medical and insurance costs on patients, especially those on high deductible health plans. These costs are increasing and could impact clinical laboratories unprepared to collect fees at time of service. (Photo copyrights: Milliman.)
Preparing to Accept Payments
The results of this year’s MMI illustrate the impact increasing consumer costs could have on the way clinical laboratories conduct business and receive payments for services rendered. Studies have shown that patients with high deductible health plans (HDHPs), who frequently must pay 100% of lab costs, are especially affected by these trends. And the numbers of patients on HDHPs have increased each year since they were enacted.
Many clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology practices do not have the capability to collect fees from patients at the time of service. This lack of preparedness could threaten the survival of those labs and should be addressed.
—JP Schlingman
Related Information:
$28k: The Average Price a Family of Four Will Spend on Healthcare in 2018
2018 Milliman Medical Index
Milliman Medical Index: Healthcare Costs for Typical American Family Reach $28,166 Despite Low Annual Rate of Increase
Cost of Health Care for a Typical Family of Four Now over $28,000
Apr 20, 2018 | Coding, Billing, and Collections, Compliance, Legal, and Malpractice, Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology, Laboratory Testing
Though ACA reforms may have slowed healthcare spending, rapidly increasing deductibles and cost sharing requirements have many experts questioning if patients can afford care at all, despite the increased availability of insurance coverage
Much of the debate surrounding efforts to replace and repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has centered on premiums as a central facet of out-of-pocket spending. However, new data from a Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) survey reveals that premiums are only one factor affecting consumers’ ability to pay healthcare bills. High-deductible health plans (HDHPs) are another culprit. This directly impacts clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups that find revenues down as more American’s avoid costs by delaying or opting out of testing and treatments.
The KFF report highlights both the complexity of managing healthcare costs and how the current focus on premium prices might miss other important considerations that make healthcare inaccessible to many Americans.
High Deductibles and Consumers’ Lack of Savings
An increasing number of insurance plans now include high deductibles—particularly in the individual markets, though employer-based insurance plans are experiencing steady increases as well.
This leaves consumers facing larger bills and making tough decisions about whether their healthcare is affordable—even with insurance.
When healthcare consumers cannot afford the out-of-pocket costs of healthcare, they are less likely to schedule wellness visits, adhere to treatments, or follow through on physician-ordered clinical laboratory tests they don’t consider essential to their well-being or simply cannot afford.
Even when they follow protocols and recommendations, that does not mean patients will be able to pay medical laboratories for tests performed, or anatomic pathology groups for specialized services, when the bill comes due.
The Ever-Growing Deductible Dilemma
In its 2017 study, “Do Health Plan Enrollees have Enough Money to Pay Cost Sharing?,” the KFF compares median data on liquid assets from 6,254 single and multi-person households—spanning a range of incomes and age brackets—to the average cost of both standard employer-based insurance and individual market insurance deductibles.
They further note that their data modeling and estimates present a “conservative estimate,” because chronic conditions might cause an extended period of out-of-pocket spending, and that median assets might not be available at a single time or throughout the year.
Concerning a previous 2016 KFF study on high-deductible insurance plans, the authors noted in a press release, “In 2016, 83% of covered workers face a deductible for single coverage, which averages $1,478. That’s up $159 or 12% from 2015, and $486 or 49% since 2011. The average deductible for workers who face one is higher for workers in small firms (three to 199 employers) than in large firms ($2,069 vs. $1,238).”
In the press release following KFF’s 2016 survey, Drew Altman, CEO (above), Kaiser Family Foundation, noted, “We’re seeing premiums rising at historically slow rates, which helps workers and employers alike, but it’s made possible in part by the more rapid rise in the deductibles workers must pay.” (Image copyright: Kaiser Family Foundation.)
In their latest look at deductibles and out-of-pocket spending, the KFF study authors note, “About half (53%) of single-person non-elderly households could pay the $2,000 from their liquid assets towards cost sharing, and only 37% could pay $6,000, which … was less than the maximum out-of-pocket limit for single coverage in 2016. For multi-person families, 47% could pay $4,000 from their liquid assets for cost sharing, while only 35% could pay $12,000.”
This sets the stage for the grim picture now facing many Americans. Despite increased access to medical insurance, being able to use the insurance to obtain care can be a struggle for a sizeable part of the lower to middle class population.
Creating a More Affordable Future for Healthcare
Data from the Q1 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that growth in high-deductible plans might skew these numbers further still. They found that the number of persons under the age of 65 enrolled in HDHPs increased from 25.3% in 2010 to 40.0% in the first quarter of 2016 despite uninsured rates dropping from 22.3% to 11.9% over the same period.
In the 2017 study, KFF outlines the complexity of the issue: “There are significant differences across the income spectrum … For example, 63% of multi-person households with incomes of 400% of poverty or more could pay $12,000 from liquid assets for cost sharing, compared with only 18% of households with incomes between 150% and 400% of poverty, and 4% of households with incomes below 150% of poverty.”
While there are no simple answers to address today’s increasing deductibles, KFF emphasizes the importance of looking at the bigger picture.
“Much of the discussion around affordability has centered on premium costs. A broader notion of affordability will have to focus on the ability of families,” they note. “To adequately address the issue of affordability of health insurance, reform proposals should be evaluated on the affordability of out-of-pocket costs, especially for low and moderate-income families, and be sensitive to the financial impacts that high cost sharing will have on financial wellbeing.”
In the meantime, lack of access to preventative care and regular checkups can increase long-term healthcare costs and health risks, creating a spiral of financial concerns for patients as well as the healthcare professionals and the clinical laboratories serving them.
—Jon Stone
Related Information:
The Biggest Health Issue We Aren’t Debating
Do Health Plan Enrollees Have Enough Money to Pay Cost Sharing?
Average Annual Workplace Family Health Premiums Rise Modest 3% to $18,142 in 2016; More Workers Enroll in High-Deductible Plans with Savings Option Over Past Two Years
Americans Are Facing Rising Out-of-Pocket Healthcare Costs—Here’s Why
Americans’ Out-of-Pocket Healthcare Costs Are Skyrocketing
Americans Are Shouldering More and More of Their Healthcare Costs
Medicare Out-of-Pocket Costs Seen Rising to Half of Senior Income
Consumer Reaction to High-Deductible Health Plans and Rising Out-of-Pocket Costs Continues to Impact Physicians and Clinical Laboratories
Because of Sizeable Deductibles, More Patients Owe More Money to Clinical Pathology Laboratories, Spurring Labs to Get Smarter about Collecting from Patients
Growth in High Deductible Health Plans Cause Savvy Clinical Labs and Pathology Groups to Collect Full Payment at Time of Service
Dec 13, 2017 | Coding, Billing, and Collections, Instruments & Equipment, Laboratory Instruments & Laboratory Equipment, Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology, Laboratory Sales and Marketing, Laboratory Testing
Recognizing the need to serve patients with high-deductible health plans, hospital systems are opening healthcare centers in outpatient settings where patients can receive care and undergo procedures—including clinical laboratory tests—more conveniently and for less cost
Health systems are putting medical imaging services, such as MRIs, in strip malls and shopping centers as a way to make it easier for patients. Such locations can also offer lower-cost procedures because of lower overhead compared to imaging centers located in hospitals. This trend to offer patients more convenient service at a lower cost is something that clinical laboratory managers and pathologists should watch and understand.
One driver behind this trend is the growing number of Americans enrolled in High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs), where deductibles can exceed $6,000 for individuals and $12,000 for families. With such high deductibles, patients are now keenly focused on the cost of their healthcare. Medical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups have been impacted by this trend, as more patients shell out cash to pay for walk-in procedures and providers must collect full payments for services rendered.
Hospitals and health systems recognize the increased demand for outpatient, lower-priced medical services, along with price transparency. Patients with HDHPs are one reason why hospital bad debt is growing.
Healthcare Shopping Drives Lower Costs and Convenience
Price shopping on the Internet for medical services also is becoming more popular due to the availability of online doctor and facility ratings and easily-accessible price comparisons.
There are more than 7,000 stand-alone imaging centers in the US that operate independently of hospitals. About 70% of diagnostic imaging services occur in hospital settings with the other 30% performed in outpatient facilities.
According to Amino, a healthcare transparency company based in San Francisco, the cost for an MRI can vary significantly depending on where a patient lives and what type of facility is utilized for the test. Their research found that the cost of a limb MRI can range from hundreds of dollars at a freestanding facility to as much as $4,000 at a hospital. In some states, the price difference between getting an MRI at a hospital versus a stand-alone facility was almost $2,000. The average cost of having an MRI performed in a hospital setting is $2600.
Based on data from Amino, the graphic above illustrates the wide range of prices for MRIs throughout the country, and the cost disparity between hospital and free-standing medical imaging centers. In the future, pathologists and clinical laboratory managers can expect to see the publication of similar graphs that show the variation in the cost of clinical laboratory tests and anatomic pathology procedures, not just by state, but by individual laboratories. (Graphic copyright: MBO.)
Smart Choice MRI, based in Mequon, Wis., charges a maximum price of $600 for an MRI. The company now has 17 locations in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, but plans to have 90 facilities within the next three years.
“The rise of high deductible health plans has fueled consumers who understand their options and demand a higher level of service from their providers,” Rick Anderson, Chief Executive Officer of Smart Choice MRI told the StarTribune. “Quality, service-focused care at a fair, transparent price has never been more important.”
Anderson added that his company can handle 94% of MRI procedures in their convenient, freestanding imaging facilities.
“I think the quality is very good, but we’ve combined the cost and quality, and most importantly the convenience of being in the neighborhood where people are shopping,” Anderson said. “If you look at our Richfield (Minnesota) location, we’re literally next to SuperTarget, Caribou Coffee, Noodles and Company, and Qdoba.”
Public and Private Health Insurers Shift Payments to Free-standing Facilities
Anthem recently announced they will no longer pay for outpatient MRIs and CT scans performed at hospitals in almost all of the states where the health insurer does business. They are requiring patients to have the tests performed in free-standing imaging facilities in an effort to cut costs and lower premiums. This change could affect 4.5 million people in 13 of the 14 states Anthem serves, with New Hampshire being the exception.
Diagnostic imaging is not the only medical service transitioning to outpatient facilities.
In July, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it is considering payment approval for total hip and knee replacements performed in outpatient settings. This change could go into effect as early as next year.
According to Steve Miller, Chief Operating Officer at Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, an estimated 25-50% of joint replacements could be performed on an outpatient basis.
“There’s more and more comfort among surgeons who are coming out of residencies where they trained to do surgeries on an outpatient basis,” Miller told Modern Healthcare. “The volumes are doubling year over year.”
Surgeons Approve of Free-standing Surgery Centers
There are currently more than 5,500 ambulatory surgery centers in the country and upwards of 200 of those facilities are performing outpatient joint replacement procedures. Three years ago, there were only around 25 facilities providing these services.
In 2015, there were more than 658,000 total hip and knee replacements performed on Medicare beneficiaries, according to CMS data. In 2014, the government paid more than $7 billion for the hospitalization costs of these two procedures. The CMS estimates that the cost for uncomplicated knee replacement surgeries in 2018 will be $12,381 for an inpatient procedure and $9,913 for the outpatient rate.
Physicians feel that performing joint replacements in outpatient facilities could reduce costs by up to 50%.
“I could do maybe 20% of my Medicare patients on an outpatient basis, as long as they have the support and structure at home to help them recover,” said Matthew Weresh, MD, a physician at Des Moines Orthopedic Surgeons (DMOS) in the Modern Healthcare article. “It’s a great move by Medicare.” DMOS plans to begin performing joint replacements at an ambulatory surgery center later this year.
Pathologists would be wise to monitor this trend and anticipate how anatomic pathology services might shift towards lower-cost settings. For clinical laboratories, this trend further illustrates the need to prepare for more consumers paying cash for their medical services and seeking cost-effective, high-quality options.
—JP Schlingman
Related Information:
Coming Soon to a Strip Mall Near You: An MRI Provider
MRI Competition Heats up in Twin Cities
Anthem’s New Outpatient Imaging Policy Likely to Hit Hospitals’ Bottom Line
Free Standing Imaging Center and Hospitals
Need an MRI? It Pays to Shop Around. Big Time.
Hospitals Leery of CMS Proposal to Pay for Joint Replacements in ASCs
Oct 23, 2017 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology, Managed Care Contracts & Payer Reimbursement
Push to expand the reach of health savings plans should help consumers pay for out-of-pocket medical laboratory services and other healthcare expenses
High-deductible health plans (HDHPs) continue to impact hospitals, clinical laboratories, and anatomic pathology groups due to the strain they put on healthcare consumers who struggle to pay their medical bills. Even worse, studies show patients are skipping doctor visits and scheduled medical laboratory tests to avoid paying the full costs of the visits. That’s why the market for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) has grown in popularity. HSAs enable patients to take control of their healthcare and plan for the inevitable bills.
And grown it has! As of June 30, there were more than 21 million HSAs in the United States, with holdings of about $43 billion in assets. That’s according to a survey by Devenir, a healthcare account investment advisory and research firm. By the end of 2019, Devenir projects the HSA market will exceed $60 billion in assets held in nearly 30 million accounts.
This steep growth curve in HSA accounts is good news for medical laboratories and pathology groups because it indicates consumers are taking advantage of these tax-advantaged savings accounts to set aside funds needed to pay their high-deductible health bills.
HSAs Help Both Patients and Provider, including Medical Laboratories
According to the survey Devenir conducted in July 2017, which primarily reflected data from the largest 100 HSA providers, the typical HSA investment account holder has a $15,146 average total balance in deposits and investments.
“We continue to see impressive HSA growth, especially amongst those HSA assets held in investments as consumers begin to understand how HSAs can help them save for both their current and future healthcare expenses,” noted Jon Robb, Devenir Senior Vice President of Research and Technology, in a statement.
HSAs were authorized by the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 and entered the market in January 2004. Ever since the major provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) came into play in 2014, HSA accounts have grown significantly in size and popularity, as have HDHPs. From 2015 to 2016, HSA accounts recorded a 22% increase in assets year over year, Devenir reported.
HSAs Could Double Under American Health Care Act
Under current law, HSA accounts must be paired with an HDHP. For 2017, the IRS has defined “high deductible” as any deductible higher than $1,300 for an individual or $2,600 for a family, so a health insurance plan must meet that threshold for a consumer to qualify for an HSA. In addition, annual contributions are capped at $3,400 individuals or $6,750 for families. Those over 55 can contribute an extra $1,000.
Devenir’s study, which drew on data from the period ending June 30, 2017, illustrates the steep growth in HSAs since 2006, and projects the growth to continue well into the decade. (Image copyright: Devenir.)
But a boom in HSA accounts may be on the horizon if Republicans succeed in replacing Obamacare. Provisions of the GOP-backed American Health Care Act (AHCA), which stalled this summer after passing by a narrow vote in the House of Representatives, would nearly double HSA contribution limits and introduce other changes that would spur growth.
“Whatever direction healthcare reform goes, it is clear that the HSA will be a key component of consumers’ financial decisions in healthcare,” wrote Steve Christenson, Executive Vice President at Ascensus, in 401K Specialist. “After all, HSAs and HDHPs were market-driven prior to the enactment of the ACA and continued to be with its passage. The economy will continue to drive this trend as employers seek to attract and retain employees in this tight job market.”
HSA contributions can be invested and grow tax free as long as withdrawals are used for qualified medical expenses. Because accounts move with healthcare consumers if they change jobs or insurers, HSAs are viewed as excellent investment options.
“HSAs offer tax breaks no other retirement vehicle can match,” stated Begonya Klumb, CEO of UMB Financial Corporation Healthcare Services, in a CNBC interview.
HSAs Great Opportunity for Elderly to Control Their Healthcare
Even if Republicans fail to revamp healthcare, HSA industry leaders are expected to continue to look for ways to expand into additional markets. According to a Kaiser Health News article, companies that manage HSA accounts are “eager to reach new markets, including baby boomers in Medicare and enrollees in the military’s Tricare system, for whom—under current law—HSAs are off-limits.”
Eric Remjeske, President and co-founder of Devenir, believes those over 65 would seize upon an opportunity to use an HSA account to help offset Medicare’s cost sharing expenses.
“That is a great population that has the potential to save and really take more control over their healthcare,” Remjeske told Kaiser Health News.
Industry officials are confident HSAs will continue their upward trajectory, attracting new customers and additional healthcare dollars.
“The political and economic winds are favorable and most definitely pushing HSAs,” Kevin Robertson, Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer for HSA Bank, the industry’s third-largest company, told Kaiser Health News.
What’s good for the HSA industry also may prove to be good for medical laboratories. If more healthcare consumers turn to HSAs to pay their out-of-pocket medical costs, including clinical laboratory services, the fear that increased enrollment in high-deductible plans will cause a reduction in the utilization of clinical lab tests may prove to be unfounded.
—Andrea Downing Peck
Related Information:
Health Savings Account Assets Reach 42.7 Billion in June
2016 Year-End Devenir HSA Research Report
What Health Care Confusion Means for HSA’s Future
Health Savings Accounts Are the Big Winner as Republicans Hash Out an Obamacare Replacement
Companies Behind Health Savings Plans Could Bank on Big Profits Under GOP Plan
Hospitals, Pathology Groups, Clinical Labs Struggling to Collect Payments from Patients with High-Deductible Health Plans
Growth in High Deductible Health Plans Cause Savvy Clinical Labs and Pathology Groups to Collect Full Payment at Time of Service
Because of Expanded Numbers of Patients with High-deductible Health Plans, Patients Are Now Responsible for 30% of Hospital Revenues
Health Savings Accounts Change Collection Model for Doctors, Soon Pathologists
Sep 22, 2017 | Coding, Billing, and Collections, Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology, Managed Care Contracts & Payer Reimbursement
Medical laboratories and pathology groups should expect point-of-service collection strategies to become increasingly important to their overall success
Not only is patient bad debt a growing problem for the nation’s hospitals, but it is now getting national attention within the hospital industry. This is bad news for clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups, because the same trends causing increased patient bad debt at hospitals are doing the same thing within the lab industry.
Much of the blame can be attributed to the increase number of patients with high-deductible health plans (HDHPs). The latest statistics reveal that patients’ out-of-pocket payments now make up 30% of hospital revenues. That is why hospitals desperately need strategies for successfully collecting payments from patients. And they’re not alone.
Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) reported that more than half of all workers have deductibles and out-of-pocket liability of greater than $1,000. That is the reason why clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups also need a formula for collecting the total bill from their patients.
Jase DuRard, Chief Revenue Officer for revenue-cycle technology company AccuReg, told Modern Healthcare the increase in patient self-pay represents a seismic shift from roughly five years ago. At that time, patients paid only 10% of their hospital bills out-of-pocket and insurers paid about 90% of hospital claims.
Patient Responsibility to Blame for Revenue Loss at Nation’s Hospitals
A November 2016 study of 660 hospitals conducted by Crowe Horwath—an international public accounting, consulting, and technology firm—stated that “patient responsibility” was to blame for an overall managed care net revenue decline of 2.5% for outpatient care and 1.4% for inpatient care. Self-pay-after-insurance (SPAI) collection rates have improved slightly during the past 12 months—with the inpatient median rising 0.2% and outpatient median increasing 0.7%.
However, according to the Horwath report, “While seemingly a good sign for providers in the face of rising patient copays and deductibles, slight increases in patient collection rates are not enough to counter the larger increase in self-pay-after-insurance patient responsibilities.”
High-deductible health plans (HDHPs) are becoming the coverage of choice for healthcare consumers struggling to pay medical bills in full. The net effect is that revenues are declining at hospitals, clinical laboratories, and pathology groups, as well as other providers. (Graphic copyright: Consumer Reports.)
In a Modern Healthcare article, Crowe Horwath’s Managing Partner of Healthcare Services, Brian Sanderson, noted, “It’s imperative that healthcare organizations establish effective point-of-service collection programs by training and educating front-line staff.”
Complicating matters is that many patients faced with self-pay are unable to pay their medical bills at time of service.
“Higher deductibles and the increase in patient responsibility are causing a decrease in patient payments to providers for patient care services rendered,” John Yount, TransUnion Vice President for Healthcare Products, told RevCycle Intelligence. “While uncompensated care has declined, it appears to be primarily due to the increased number of individuals with Medicaid and commercial insurance coverage.”
Hospitals Offer Patients Financial Options for Paying Bills
Some hospitals are responding to this trend by rolling out programs that offer patients financing options for their out-of-pocket costs. A recent article in Modern Healthcare outlined the steps taken by Missouri hospital system Mosaic Life Care, as it realized the full impact that $23 million worth of self-pay patient care had on its bottom line. Though the hospital posted record census and gross revenue during the first four months of 2017, net revenue was flat because patient self-pay didn’t keep pace.
“We win all kinds of awards for patient quality, but our revenue cycle didn’t match that performance,” Deborah Vancleave, Mosaic’s Vice President of Revenue Cycle, told Modern Healthcare.
Since then, Mosaic has taken steps to improve the accuracy of information it gets at registration and how it makes determinations on patients’ ability to pay. In addition, it has joined forces with ClearBalance— a provider of patient loan programs to US hospitals and health systems—to offer zero-interest or low-interest revolving lines of credit to patients for their out-of-pocket medical costs.
According to Modern Healthcare, ClearBalance pays hospitals “upfront for the outstanding bills of patients who sign up for their financing program, but the hospital guarantees the money and repays lenders if patients default on their credit lines. The companies make their profit by getting a 10% to 15% fee for the outstanding amount of the loan.”
Medical Laboratories Slow to Respond to Consumer Demand for Price Transparency
As consumers shoulder more of the burden for their healthcare, they also will be demanding more price transparency from medical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups, which so far have been slow to respond to the trend.
“Patients expect cost estimates in every other retail industry, and are starting to demand them in healthcare as well. According to one recent study, for example, more than 90% of patients felt it was important to know their payment responsibility upfront,” TransUnion, a global risk information provider, stated in a white paper outlining the importance of precare cost estimates.
As hospitals struggle to collect from patients saddled with HDHPs, laboratory executives and other healthcare providers should take note. The change in payment mix means the ability to collect payments from patients at the point of service is becoming a critical success factor.
—Andrea Downing Peck
Related Information:
Hospitals Struggle with the Dilemma of Patients Hit by High Deductibles
Kaiser Family Foundation 2016 Employer Health Benefits Survey
The Impact of Consumerism on Provider Revenues
Patient Financial Responsibility On the Rise
Improve Revenue Cycles and Patient Engagement by Delivering Pre-Care Cost Estimates
68% of Consumers Did Not Pay Patient Financial Responsibility
