Newswise — On May 31 2006, a new feature of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) website was released called "Out-of-Pocket Estimator". This enhancement follows the initial release in February 2005, of the webpage called "Charges for Healthcare Services." The goal of the section "Charges for Health Care Services" is to answer patients' questions about DHMC charges for services and to direct users to the correct resource to assist in getting the answers. The goal of the "estimator" is to help patients estimate what they will pay after insurance payments to DHMC.
DHMC is one of the first institutions to publish its charges on the web, consistent with a move toward increased transparency of performance results for quality, safety and value of its services.
Out-of-Pocket EstimatorThe Out-of-Pocket Estimator permits patients to query DHMC charges and their estimated payment responsibility for a variety of services--including office visits, diagnostic tests, and surgical procedures.
A patient's out-of-pocket cost will depend on individual insurance coverage (such as co-insurance or deductibles), Medicare coverage, or the cost of services if there is no health insurance. The Out-of-Pocket Estimator will closely approximate the actual amount that will be paid out-of-pocket by patients.
In addition, DHMC cautions users that their costs may vary because services received from a provider are based on individual need and medical condition. Further, additional tests or services not listed in the estimate may be ordered by the provider in order to treat, diagnose or care for individual needs. Financial Assistance CalculatorThe Charges website also provides a Financial Assistance Calculator to see whether an individual qualifies to receive financial assistance for their healthcare services.
Effective with services provided January 1, 2006, D-H implemented a 30% discount off charges for patients without health insurance. The uninsured discount was implemented to ensure patients without insurance receive a comparable discount off charges as patients who are privately insured. The uninsured discount is intended for patients within the D-H service area, defined as NH/VT residents.
Information is also included about payment options and financial aid for medically necessary services. The section goes on to state that DHMC offers financial assistance for these services - in the form of free or discounted care to qualified patients. Patients are directed to the Financial Assistance Policy and are directed to a toll-free phone number that allows them to talk with a financial counselor ahead of time.
Frequently Asked QuestionsEver wondered about the questions:o How is a charge set for my services?o Why have I received two different bills for the same visit?
These questions, and the answers to many more, can also be found in a link to a section on "Frequently Asked Questions." There are dozens of calls every day to DHMC's "Patient Accounts Customer Service" asking these and many more questions about insurance and billing. This section helps to provide answers via the web to promote accessibility to the information by a broad audience of patients and the general public. In addition, the section provides a toll-free number and email address to contact a Financial Information Specialist for more answers.
To view the Out-of-Pocket Estimator, go to Quality Reports tab on the DHMC Internet (http://www.dhmc.org), select Charges for Healthcare Services, and then select Out-of-Pocket Estimator. For more information please refer to the following website:http://www.dhmc.org/goto/charges
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