INOVA Fairfax Hospital - Forced to Prepay

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honestly don’t understand-and find it disheartening- how May people come on here to defend business practices which at at the expense of individuals.

It’s ridiculous how much people support policies that are profit driven, and at the expense of regular people who have a NEED (not a want) re their physical health.

What is wrong with you people? Like the people who cheer dorms with RTW policies that only benefit corps and not their employees.

There are a lot of things that are outrageous about our healthcare system. Paying what you owe at the time you get service/treatment is not one of them IMO.

But a lot of the times it's not what you owe it's an estimate of what you owe because they haven't processed the claim. And then you're overpaying for a service they're making money off of it and you're out money for 30 to 60 days while the claim gets processed and don't get me started on how long it takes for them to write you a check to refund the amount owed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With over $2.7 billion in annual revenue, Inova is not using a high-yield savings account.... they are investing their money into higher yield portfolios to help pay for that new $182 million campus they bought from ExxonMobil a few years ago. They have an entire department dedicated to making financial investments.

Supposing Inova made just half of its 2+ million annual patients pay in advance, even a few bucks in profit per patient adds up quick. If there wasn't a clear cut business case for doing this, they wouldn't be paying for an entire "estimating department" to support the operation with their accounting magic.

The existing system is complicated, but that's reflective of the industry. The payment terms of how long the insurer has to pay the bill submitted by Inova are negotiated between the two entities. If Inova's not happy with whatever payment terms they negotiated, they shouldn't be taking it out on the little guy. Sorry no sympathy for them.

The 20 cents on the dollar line is also misleading. The list price of their medical services is grossly exaggerated and the actual price is always negotiated with the insurer at a fraction of the list price. They are getting the majority of that negotiated amount from the insurer, and billing the patient for the remaining fraction. If they don't get that remainder from a deadbeat patient, then they sell the debt to a collection agency for 20 cents on the dollar. The number of non-paying uninsured patients which Inova gets zero money from is a small percentage of their overall patients.

I'm surprised at how many people here seem to be supporting Inova. Let's see if their posts seem to stop after the end of the work day.

I was with you until you assumed someone who can’t pay a medical bill is a deadbeat. Medical expenses are the number 1 reason for bankruptcy. And it’s the not very poor (at least at Inova) getting screwed bc the very poor (no matter legal status) can have their bills written off. But the MC who “makes too much money” but can’t shell out thousands and thousands for a bill? Sucks to be them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honestly don’t understand-and find it disheartening- how May people come on here to defend business practices which at at the expense of individuals.

It’s ridiculous how much people support policies that are profit driven, and at the expense of regular people who have a NEED (not a want) re their physical health.

What is wrong with you people? Like the people who cheer dorms with RTW policies that only benefit corps and not their employees.

There are a lot of things that are outrageous about our healthcare system. Paying what you owe at the time you get service/treatment is not one of them IMO.

But a lot of the times it's not what you owe it's an estimate of what you owe because they haven't processed the claim. And then you're overpaying for a service they're making money off of it and you're out money for 30 to 60 days while the claim gets processed and don't get me started on how long it takes for them to write you a check to refund the amount owed.

Then you clearly need to find somewhere else to go. I was refunded money in 2 weeks after a claim was processed. I don't care one bit that they had $500 of my money for however long it took to process. That's the cost of doing business with them. And let's be honest, you we're going to invest that money you had to pay upfront anyway.

Don't like it? Find a different facility that bills differently. You have choices. Make a different one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hospitals like Inova are getting killed financially. I audit hospitals for a living - for-profit and non-profit, doesn't matter, none are doing well. Many of my hospitals earn 20 cents on the dollar for each service provided. Truly, they have no choice but to collect from you up front when the service is provided and this is definitely becoming the norm.

Huh. Maybe they ought to talk to Congress - because the health insurers ARE making a killing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While they've undoubtedly been stiffed a few times, this sounds like a profit-driven policy.

If the OP was forced to pre-pay $1,000 for a procedure, let's assume Inova gets that cash 60 days earlier than billing the OP's insurer and letting the EOB process play out.

If Inova puts that money into a simple high-yield (5%) savings account, that $1,000 with compounded interest becomes $1,102.50 after 60 days. Inova makes another $102.50 in profit off of just one patient.

Now multiply that by the thousands of patients they're forcing this on, and you're talking about a new revenue stream worth millions.

It's completely shady and a sign of all of the things that are wrong with for-profit health care.

You are not good at math.

[Anonymous]

Both husband and I were at Inova for two separate MRIs a couple of months ago. Both of us received an estimated prepayment amount which we ignored and told them to bill insurance. No one forced us to prepay, and insurance covered everything. No copay was necessary at the end.

[Anonymous]

I recently had surgery at inova. I was similarly shocked to receive a phone call asking if I wanted to pay ahead of time. They definitely made it sound like if I didn’t do it, they *could* charge a lot of extras down the line, but if I prepaid, I was guaranteed a price. I declined bc I wasn’t paying until I knew the operation was happening; also, their *estimate* was incorrect bc I had unprocessed claims that went toward my deductible, so I actually owed $1k less. Would not recommend. That said, will foto ink a Fairfax any day over other local hospitals

[Anonymous]

This is normal for plans with deductibles

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is normal for plans with deductibles

That said, I have Tricare prime and they have never asked for money from me because it's $0 always for Tricare.

[Anonymous]

I’ve prepaid several times for surgeries and to have a baby. I thought it was strange each time, but I guess it’s no skin off my nose, ultimately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both husband and I were at Inova for two separate MRIs a couple of months ago. Both of us received an estimated prepayment amount which we ignored and told them to bill insurance. No one forced us to prepay, and insurance covered everything. No copay was necessary at the end.

important point

[Anonymous]

It's the new way Inova is doing it for the equivalent of economy class health care. Join the cattle car.

If you want different, you have to pay more for their "concierge" VIP health care.

[Anonymous]

Not forced to pre-pay, but highly incentivized at Stone Springs Hospital. My out of pocket was estimated to be $3300, but if I paid prior to the surgery it would only cost me $2400.

I paid the $2400, but recently received a bill for close to $400. Need to call to see what that is about.

[Anonymous]

This is the logical result of people buying high deductible health plans but not setting money aside to cover the high deductibles - they get stuck with big bills they can’t or won’t pay, and the hospitals get the shaft. I was asked to prepay my deductible for my OB each time, but put them off far enough into the plan year that the deductible ended up being zero or close to it. I ended up having to correct them a few times too, as they were misreading my deductibles.

[Anonymous]

why should providers get screwed if insurance denies? my wife had a mamogram, all the insurance rules were followed and they still denied the charge and the provider is forced to write it off. enough is enough. as a provider I can you that times are changing. insurance is the problem at the end of the day.