hmmm, i wonder if beth mason showed up, if she did I suspect she would need a body guard as I suspect the hospital employees are not too happy with her antics these last few months.

Guessing none of the 4 stooges who tried to kill the hospital bothered to show?

Concerned - Hospitals cannot turn a patient away in an emergency regardless of that person's insurance coverage. They are legally obligated to treat and stabilize you until you are healthy enough to leave, be transferred to an in-network facility or confirm you can pay out of pocket.

Those of us that do not have an insurance that is in-network will have to go elsewhere for the time being. Hopefully the hospital will be successful in its negotiation with other insurance carriers so that they will have a chance to secure of a wider customer base and, in turn, have a better chance of surviving.

Just because your carrier is not in-network doesn't mean you'll get turned way of you choose to use the facility. In my case I will just have a higher out of pocket cost (deductible) than if I was to use an in-network facility. I would suggest you contact your healthcare provider and check what your out of network coverage is and and adjust your budget accordingly. You can always request in an emergency situation to be taken to a facility of your choosing by an ambulance. Some EMS services may push you towards their preferred facility but ultimately it's your choice (unless you're incapacitated). I was an EMT for 8 years and worked for various payed and volunteer services in both NJ & PA including HVAC.

Concerned - I think you're a bit confused on how emergency treatment is administered with regard to insurance coverage. Let me try to help. There are 3 types of people, 1) those w/ an in-network provider, 2) those with an out of network provider, & 3) those with no insurance whatsoever. The all 3 cases emergency care must be provided if that individual shows up at the ER. In case #1 the individual will pay a small deductible, case #2 the individual will pay a higher deductible and case #3 the individual will bear the full cost of services rendered. The ONLY time a hospital may turn away a patient with without any coverage is if extended care is needed (like admittance). In most cases the hospital will suggest alternatives for that person to receive the care they need.

Generally the people without insurance don't pay their hospital bills because they can't afford them so the hospital takes that as a loss. This is why many hospitals lose money hand over fist.

Concerned - you're welcome. I'm glad I could help.

Jabber - I agree that in your situation it would make sense for you to go to another facility. My point really is that it all depends on your carrier. I actually double checked my coverage just now; my provider would cover the same amount on the co-pay for both in and out of network emergency care once my annual deductible has been met. My out of network deductible is just higher so in my case I may be able to plan for it. It all depends on the provider.

HUMC's financial difficulties are largely due to insufficient reimbursement by HMOs, not charity care for the uninsured. This is true of most small, stand-alone community hospitals. Negotiated reimbursement rates are often less than the cost of providing services. In the case of HUMC, the hospital was receiving something in the neighborhood of 80% of cost for insured patients. Having neither large volume or market share, hospitals like HUMC are forced to "take it or leave it" when presented with unfavorable reimbursement agreements.

Rather than sitting by and waiting - hoping - that the new owners can reach new and better agreements with insurers, get your out-of-network insurer on the phone or write them a letter, and demand that they come to a fair and equitable agreement with the new owners of HUMC. Coming to an agreement with Horizon BCBS was a big first step. HUMC must improve its reimbursements from the other insurers or remain out of network. Otherwise, the outcome will not be much different than that of the Franciscan Sisters, Bon Secours, or HMHA/HHI.

I get your sentiment, Eric - but, I think it is unlikely that letters or phone calls (into v/m hell) from clients of any particular out-of-network insurance carrier will have the slightest bit of impact on whether that insurer negotiates with HUMC or not. However, more power to anyone that wants to give it a whirl. Insurance companies are big business and it is about the bottom line with them. Most of the clients do not have the ability (or too much ability) to take their business elsewhere as most of them have the insurance plan offered by their employer so any "demands" are really hollow threats. I also understand that HUMC must improve it's reimbursements from other insurers or it can't remain in business. The flip side is that HUMC must attract business (patients) or it won't remain in business either. It is certainly a conundrum. Regardless, before my comment kicks off some kind of digression into a political snark, I think the hospital situation was a near impossible situation to untangle and appreciate the efforts of the board greatly.

Yes, there is a conundrum, GH. I get that it doesn't make sense to take 'customers' and loose money on them. The conundrum surrounds whether HUMC can reach an agreement with the insurers that allows them to make a profit. The insurers have no particular vested interest in whether HUMC survives. If they can't reach an agreement that is profitable for HUMC, HUMC cannot attract patients (that are out-of-network) and still cannot survive. Do you see HUMC's chances of survival as being assured if it only takes one type of insurance and, therefore, is unable to secure patients who have other types of insurance?

Stick got a nice suit, guess he threw out the one for the walkway mall ribbon cutting after he read some of the comments lol.

Who is the Knthoboken person? Are these childish obnoxious fight-picking comments necessary? That be one angry b1tch, for no apparent reason.

My guess is that khoboken is an alternate screen name for someone else who posts on this site. Allows quasi simultaneous mudslinging and apparently rational comments. Standard machine propaganda technique.

....and look - Knthoboken can't spell/type: (m,y - tow of you - jibberish - exxcessively) - and dumb to boot, (knthoboken thinks she knows what the screen name means...so dumb, so pathetically dumb and the Kentucky Derby is a hat, right?) - Oh, wait, I get it. Busy trying to make sure there is absolutely no discourse of any kind. What an absolute insult to any sort of reform in this city. In the future, in the hope of maintaining some sort of reasonable discourse online, responses to this piece of mildew will brief. Suggest others in the online community follow suit so this cancer can be cut out.