deductibles news from FierceHealthFinance
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Doctors still mystified by what patients owe
These days, there's lots of talk about how real-time claims adjudication--or even claims estimates--will help doctors determine, on the spots, how much patients owe above and beyond their co-pay. In... Read more...
As health costs rise, patients cut back
It's no surprise: as health costs rise, consumers are cutting back on the services they use. For example, physician office visits fell 1.2 percent between July 2007 and 2008, according to one study.... Read more...
Providers could face big squeeze in '09
Next year isn't likely to be pretty for providers. As a story in this week's newsletter notes, insurance companies have been watching profits fall, so they're likely to raise premiums in 2009. Then,... Read more...
'Facilities fees' for doctor visits startle patients
Healthcare billing is complex enough without throwing another factor into the mix. Increasingly, however, it seems that consumers are being caught off guard by a new bill--a "facility fee"... Read more...
NC system gets flack for collecting charges upfront
The UNC Health Care System has had a charitable mission since its founding in 1947. Owned by the state of North Carolina, it gets about 5 percent of its operating budget from the state, support that... Read more...
