Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Louise F. Rogers, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Chester J. Kunnappilly, MD, Chief Executive Officer, San Mateo Medical Center
Subject: Agreement with CMRE Financial Services, Inc. for Self-Pay Patient Services
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Adopt a resolution authorizing an agreement with CMRE Financial Services, Inc. for self-pay patient early out account services for the term of August 1, 2019 through July 31, 2022, for an amount not to exceed $360,000.
body
BACKGROUND:
San Mateo Medical Center (SMMC) provides medical services to the County's safety net population, with many of these services supported by state and federal funding sources. While some patients have insurance that may require co-payments or deductibles, many other patients are uninsured. SMMC's Patient Financial Services department (PFS) follows up with uninsured patients on their outstanding balances, also known as "self-pay" accounts, for approximately 120 days, while the Health Coverage Unit works with patients to explore various financial assistance programs that SMMC offers to help them with their hospital bills. Such efforts include assistance with enrolling in health coverage, discounting bills, and creating payment plans for patient's co-pays and deductibles. SMMC strives to prevent the cost of care from being a barrier to receiving care. Accordingly, SMMC has a policy that prohibits the practice known as "balance billing", which applies to balances not covered by insurance companies (beyond a patient's responsibility for copayments, coinsurance and deductibles).
One hundred twenty days after PFS follows up with a self-pay account, any and all accounts that are not enrolled in a financial assistance program or have not obtained insurance coverage are reclassified as "bad debt" accounts, then transferred to the County's Revenue Services for follow up.
DISCUSSION:
Approxim...
Click here for full text