Waiver of Liability, Professional Courtesy, No Insurance

[McInroy]

In a nondiscriminatory way, without breaching contracts with commercial insurances, how would a provider go about NOT collecting FULL patient responsibility, without misrepresenting our fees, but allow some sort of a "discount" to the patient's without insurance coverage. Meaning, patient's without insurance coverage either by a policy exclusion or no policy at all.

Most would refer to this as a Waiver of Liability or Professional Courtesy for "self pay" accounts. However we do not have such a policy, and I'm interested in the ins and outs and legal significance involved in having such a policy.

Where would I obtain guidelines or standards that are needed to be drafted in the policy and an example of a "waiver form" and any other information. Even if it is a policy that should NOT be implemented and information to substantiate why not.

 

[FTessaBartels]

Not a complete answer

I can't tell you the legal ins and outs of formulating a policy on self-pay patients, but I can tell that our policy is to offer a 10% discount up front to all self-pay patients (truly self-pay, without any insurance coverage).

We also offer an additional 10% discount for pre-pay surgical cases ... so a total of 20% off if you pay the surgical fee and estimated anesthesia fee in advance of surgery.

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC

 

[shastadazy]

Across the board policy.. ?

I think you're ok as long as your policy is across the board. Meaning, like the previous poster said, if you extend a 10% discount to any self-pay patients.

--d