Inside a 30 year loop - the example of cash discount in Florida’s hospitals

In 1987 (please note the year!) Orlando Sentinel reported what they - undoubtedly - considered to be a newsworthy piece entitled “Some Hospitals Offer Healthy Discounts For Cash” with the following lead phrase ”Forty Florida hospitals are trying to make more money by offering discounts to patients who pay cash...”. Discounts, according to a survey done by Florida Hospital Association, ranged from as little as 2% to a significant 50% of the medical bill. The irony is, close to thirty years later we are still discussing this as in terms of “new development”, “recent approach” or “innovative pricing”.

In the original 1987 article, 40 hospitals in Florida were offering financial incentives for paying cash for medical services with another 17 hospitals considering doing this. West Florida Regional Hospital in Pensacola was then reported at the forefront of the movement designed to encourage prompt payments. Fast forward three decades and we can find no traces of cash discount offered on the West Florida Hospital website; or at least, if it is, it is buried quite deep and one would need to spend more time and effort than 90% of the population can afford to.

How come this old idea keeps re-occurring, but never quite takes root? The media keeps popping up periodically stories about how wonderful a discovery cash discount could be. But in the harsh reality of the US medical establishment this idea never really gets traction. For instance, searching the internet for references to cash discount in USA hospitals reveals a frightening picture: top results in several search engines show pages about how you - the patient - can engage in direct negotiations with the hospital to reduce the financial burden of medical expenses. Of which strategies to reduce the financial burden, paying cash is one of the most recommended.

Why is it frightening? someone can ask. In short, because in most cases it is NOT the hospitals that make this option public and transparent. Each patient has to discover for himself just how much the discount is. Under such an impervious cover discounts can vary between next to nothing to almost all.

At Cashdoctor we strive for transparency. We encourage each and every one of you to share local prices of doctors, testing centers and hospitals right from your mobile device. All postings are searchable by the public from either their mobile device or our website www.CashDoctor.com. Help raise the cover that is persistently pulled over issues such as cash discount. Get involved!