How do those hospitals survive without collecting full payment?
By kingparker
@kingparker (9673)
United States
December 23, 2011 12:03pm CST
I was just curious how those hospitals maintain their operation properly without collecting full payment without their every patient pay after the visit? I had friend, who told me that after a surgery, he owes the hospital over $30,000; now every month the hospital sending him a bill to collect that amount, or had him to call them back to work out a payment term something like that. After while, collection agency also calls represents the hospital, my friend simply toss away those bills and not answering the phone. He is not the only one, I saw some people can afford it, simply ignore them. It is not a good phenomenon, but I knew many people had done it, due to the high cost medical bill and without insurance aid. How those hospitals survive like that?
3 responses
@blue65packer (11826)
• United States
24 Dec 11
That ia a good question. I think one reason the hospitals can survive is they charge high prices for their serivices and they keep raising their prices! I know how your friend feels! I have been bothered by a collection agency for more paying a hospital bill my insurance didn't cover. Almost 4 years ago I surgery and I had the cheapest insurance I could get form work. I was paying some of that bill off. I stopped to consantrate on paying off another bill,which will be paid off in 3 months,then I will start paying more off on the hospital bill. I refuse to pay over $200.00 a month for health insurance! It is bad enough I am paying over $140.00 amonth for it! A person needs it but it is so darn exspensive! 
@BLTLife (337)
• United States
23 Dec 11
They survive because the actual costs of labor and "parts" isn't what they charge you. Hospitals and other health care faculties know that they can charge a lot and feel like they are entitled to.
Also I would like to mention that creditors buy debt. For example, if you owe the hospital $30,000, a collection agencies can buy that debt for a lower price. We'll just say for $25,000 in this example. But they will still charge you full price and sometimes interest. So the hospital can still get enough to cover it's cost of running, while someone else tries to get that money from you.
