Co-pays in the ER

fiestynurse · May 29, 2001

Are you kidding!! Here, unless it is a life or death situation, we get co-pays before we'll even look at them. And we most certainly collect before they leave. Usually a family member is available to help out.

Speedy1RN · May 30, 2001

Are your institutions receiving Medicare reimbursements? There is this thing called emtala.

???

fiestynurse · May 30, 2001

Yes, we recieve medicare reimbursements and technically we cannot refuse anyone care. But, that doesn't keep us from asking for those co-pays and calling HMOs for preauthorizations. ERs are losing tons of money here in Calfornia, and many hospitals have closed their ERs all together. Mainly because of all the increasing numbers of uninsured that are using the ERs as their primary care facility. Governor Davis just pumped some money into the ERs to help keep them afloat, but it's a temporary fix. Let's just say that this whole healthcare system is a big mess!

ERnursie · Jul 31, 2001

We don't collect in the ER(although some patients ask). It's much easier to tell them that they'll get billed, especially if they are fed up to begin with. :rolleyes:

CEN35 · Aug 1, 2001

nope that falls on the part of billing.........we don't do anything with billing. hopefully we will never have too. like we don't have enough things to do already?

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Aug 2, 2001

I LOVE the idea of copays!! We must triage before insurance info so I imagine the idea of triaging and then asking for a copay for nonurgent cases would be legal, and weed out the 2am runny noses. Whether it would be financially a plus is up for debate as the PR would stink.

spudflake · Aug 3, 2001

At our facility the admit clerks ask for the co-pay or down payment AFTER the doctor has seen the patient. That's the first time we can legally ask. If the triage nurse has MSE ability then a co-pay can be asked for at registration. If the patient says no - they're still seen regardless - even the 2am runny noses:D

LtlBit RN-ER · Aug 26, 2001

We just started that at our hospital. At discharge the pt is escorted to the registration area for checkout. At that time the registration clerk askes them to verify all their information and asks them for their co-pay. Those pt's that don't have a co-pay, when we get the registered chart it is stamped courtsey discharge on it to let the nurses know that after they leave they can just go instead of stopping, that way we are not escorting all patients to the discharge area. In the last month we have collected $11,000.00 just in co-pays or payments on outstanding bills because a lot of out pt's are repeat customers who think the ER is a free clinic. It has made a big difference seeing as before we didn't recieve any money! It has also made the pt.s that abuse the system to see that it is not free care- especially when the registration clerk says "You have an outstanding bill of $3,000, can you please pay some of this today". Before they thought we didn't even keep track!

NinaC · Aug 30, 2001

In our hospital, we are not allowed to discuss insurance....also nurses must triage the patient first and then the admissions clerk goes and registers them. It is an emtala violation if they are asked about their ability to pay much more ask for co-pays

kaycee · Aug 31, 2001

It is not a violation if the co-pay is asked for after treatment is rendered in the ED, upon discharge. A lot of ED's are doing this and we are starting in Feb.

debbyed · Sep 1, 2001

Co-Pays??? Insurance????Money????

Gee, I thought the ER was just a free walk-in clinic. You mean there are people out there who actually pay for the services received???

Sorry, Couldn't help myself. Out of the 63 patients that came through the doors last evening/night I had 22 ask for a meal tray (Note we are talking about 7p-7a), 13 ask for a weeks supply of medicine, and a wopping 17 ask for cab vouchers.

We have a large number of patients who call 911 (some even take a bus ride so they are in the right area than call 911), ask for a meal, ask for their drugs than expect us to send them home is a cab.

Please sent these Co-payment angels to us. If we start asking for money maybe they will take a bus to someone else's area instead.

Please note, none of these patients had a life or limb threating illness/accident. People who are truely sick can have anything I can give them.

Guess you figured, last night was a holiday weekend night from H@&L. :eek: :confused: