The Glade 4.0

Yes.

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"Hysterical children shrieking about right-wing anything need to go sit in the corner and be quiet while the adults are talking."

Then he's allowed to give a "discount" for payment in full at the time of service under current Medicaid/Medicare Rules. And, even then, use of this ability is fairly limited. So, be sure you don't accidentally get him in trouble.

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My doctor gives a flat 30% discount for anyone who pays at the time the service is rendered, and has it posted on his wall.

Whether you pay and then file with your insurance yourself (to, say, meet a deductible) or just have no insurance and are paying out of pocket.

How is his use of such a policy 'limited', or how can it get him in trouble?

It seems his right to give whatever discount he pleases based on payment method- just as if he wanted to give a discount for someone paying with cash as opposed to credit card, to offset the cost of the machine.

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Darksiege: You are not a god damned vulcan homie.

Nephyr:

Because Medicaid/Medicare Compliance requires them to charge every customer the same thing. Squirrel Girl can explain it better than I, however; but it is the primary form of price fixing in the medical industry. And Uncle Sam does it.

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Medicare and private insurance require that all patients are charged that same amount for the same service. This is why "charges" are so high. They must be higher than all insurances will pay, or the doctor will get the lower charged amount instead of the maximum allowable.

If a doctor allows a discount or no charge to any patient, then the insurance can force the doctor to give the discount to all patients.

However, a doctor can make a policy to charge less at the time of service and not have to give that discount to all patients. You see, the insurance company can not pay at the time of service. (In fact, I once had the pleasure of telling Cigna that they were welcome to get my discount if they paid me the day of service.)

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Memento Vivere

I have local knowledge.
That sandbar was not there yesterday!

Ah, gotcha.

Thanks!

Is it also possible to make the same argument about method of payment? (ie, charging more for credit cards vs. cash to defray the cost of the card company)

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Darksiege: You are not a god damned vulcan homie.

Is this different by state? I read an ER doc's blog and one of his fam prac friends says he can charge lower rates for cash customers so long as they don't have insurance. He did specifically mention what you said though for trying to charge less for cash payment with people who already have insurance.

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The Dude abides.

I'm not using medicare or medicaid so I don't see what this has to do with anything. I'm paying cash from my own pocket.

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"Hysterical children shrieking about right-wing anything need to go sit in the corner and be quiet while the adults are talking."

Because, as Squirrel Girl noted, Federal law requires him to charge you the same thing he charges Medicaid/Medicare patients.

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And then between indigent discounts, hocking her pistol, and other lifestyle sacrifices/community contributions, she should have been able to afford it.

Alternatively, she could do what social workers all do to get working poor to qualify for Medicaid: spend-down and hide assets.

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“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” - Thomas Paine