I have had the privilege of speaking with many of you over the phone and assisting you with your medical needs over the past 2 years. Each of you has made a commitment to share with your brothers and sisters in Christ, in conformity with the commandment of Christ to love others as He first loved us.
You have placed Christ at the center of your health care and it is truly a joy to serve you in your time of need.
As many of you know, I myself have had a medical need of nearly $40,000 and have gone through the same sharing process that you go through as members of CMF CURO and Samaritan Ministries.
The below tips are simply lessons learned from your brother in Christ who has been on both sides of the sharing process, having a shareable need and helping others to share their needs.
Tip 1: Always request an itemized billing statement
Many medical providers expect direct pay patients to prepay at least a significant amount of their medical expenses. One major problem with this is that you do not really know what you are paying for until you see an itemized statement documenting specific medical costs. For those of us asked to prepay, it is as if we were at a grocery store and paid $300 for our groceries without a cashier ringing up anything. I am sure all of us would respond: “How do you know what I owe if you have not rung up my groceries?” And yet, when we go to the doctor, urgent care, or hospital, we often pay without even requesting an itemized bill. When we do not know what we are paying for as direct pay patients, we are often overcharged. So even if you have to prepay a portion of your medical costs, make obtaining an itemized statement from the financial department a top priority. This will allow you to see what you are truly paying for. CMF CURO offers you a suggested itemized statement when you use your CURO Card. Even if the provider does not accept 125 percent of Medicare (what CMF CURO offers via this statement), this is a great way to begin the conversation about obtaining a discount.
Tip 2: Pray to God before calling your provider to negotiate a price
As unjust as our health care system is at times, the Lord is ultimately in control. Getting a fair price vs. getting ripped off is often a matter of who you speak to at what time. The Lord can ensure that you speak with the right people in the right way to obtain a good price. But we have to ask Him with confident expectation that He will always provide for us regardless of how significant our bills are. A good practice is to read the Gospel According to St. Matthew 6:25-34, and then ask our Blessed Mother to intercede for you before her Son. Using a similar method, my wife and I obtained a 75 percent discount on more than one medical bill.
Tip 3: If your provider does not accept 125 percent of Medicare, ask about discounts as a direct-pay patient
Most providers offer discounts to direct pay patients. You can say something like, “When I reviewed my itemized billing statement, I did not see any discounts for being a direct pay patient; I always receive a discount for being direct pay, so what is the best discount that you can offer me?” Notice that I did not say, “May I have a discount?” I presumed that I would get a discount and am only asking them to clarify how much of a discount. This is a good example of being assertive and expecting blessings from the Lord.
Tip 4: Keep asking for discounts until you are satisfied that no further discounts are possible
At risk of oversimplifying this, you cannot get a discount if you fail to ask for one. Jesus encourages us with these words, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened” (Luke 11:9). Not every “no” is definitive. When you speak with someone, read between the lines. They may really be saying “No, I don’t want to help you,” “No, I am not able to help you,” or “No, you are making my job difficult.” Or they may be saying “No, the discount you are asking for is truly not possible.” Contrary to popular wisdom, “No” does not always or even usually mean “No.” Much of the time, it means, “keep asking” and/or “ask someone else.” If you persevere in assertively and charitably requesting a discount, you will eventually reach a definitive “No.” Until then, your job is to persevere with the expectation that God is fighting for you and your family.
Tip 5: When all else fails, ask your provider what an insurance company pays for the services you received
Although the provider will probably not disclose this information, it helps to communicate the point that you are aware that you are not getting the best price. You can say, for example, “I know that insurance companies have pre-negotiated rates, but since I am willing to pay just as much, can I at least get a fair price?” This will place the provider on the defensive and usually gets them to reconsider giving you a discount.
Tip 6: Always Thank God for your health regardless of whether you succeed in getting a discount
If we fail to thank God for what we have, we can hardly expect Him to bless our meager efforts to obtain a good price on our medical bills in the future.
By utilizing these tips in the context of your trusting and loving relationship with our Heavenly Father, you increase your chances of getting a good price. Please call CMF CURO anytime for prayers and further assistance with your medical needs.
By Michael Vacca, Director of Ministry and Policy Development
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