Typically after a medical procedure such as surgery, the bills come trickling in from the hospital, the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, the physical therapist…and the list goes on. It can be difficult to accurately plan for what your total out-of-pocket costs will be, once all is said and done. With bundled payments, the patient pays a single, all-inclusive bill for a medical procedure or surgery upfront. Surprises are eliminated and in some cases, costs are lower.
Gaining Popularity
The “bundled payments” model of care has been gaining popularity over the past decade. Medicare began testing the model in 2012 and made a bundled payment option mandatory for select procedures in some markets. Studies have found that surgery payment bundles can reduce costs without impacting quality of care, outcomes or patient satisfaction.
Why Pay Out-of-Pocket?
There are a number of situations where it might make sense to consider bundled payments, including if you choose an out-of-network provider, have a high-deductible plan, or don’t have health insurance coverage.
Some health insurance plans don’t cover out-of-network services at all, while others provide a lower level of coverage. If you’ve chosen an out-of-network provider for a particular procedure, there might not be any value to processing the payment through your insurer. If your healthcare provider offers cash-bundled services, you could benefit from knowing exactly what your costs are ahead of time. Be sure to check your insurance coverage before making a decision.
Some patients with high-deductible plans chose cash-bundled payments, particularly if they are approaching the end of the year and aren’t going to meet their annual deductible. In a case like this, where the patient will be paying out-of-pocket anyway, a cash-bundled bill can be less expensive and will make planning easier. The same may be true if you don’t have health insurance coverage.
MSA Offers Bundled Payment Options
If you’re interested in cash-bundled payment for a medical procedure, start by asking your surgeon if it’s an option. Not all providers offer cash-bundle pricing, and those that do may limit it to specific procedures. If cash bundling is available, ask for a quote and information about financing options during your consultation with your doctor.
Muskegon Surgical Associates offers a cash-bundled payment option for select procedures, providing patients with a transparent, upfront cost without surprises. Payment is required in full prior to surgery, with the option of working with Care Credit, a financing provider that offers programs such as 12 monthly payments at 0% interest.
Contact Muskegon Surgical Associates for more information. To learn more about Care Credit, visit www.carecredit.com.
Sources:
Forbes
EHealthInsurance
Consumer Reports