April 2nd, 2020 by WCBC Radio
State regulators said Maryland hospitals will be permitted to temporarily raise their rates to be able to fund the increase in patients amid the coronavirus outbreak. Health Services Cost Review Commission informed hospitals of the decisions and they must be able to prove the increase is reasonable. Officials will also allow hospitals to go around normal regulatory steps to make changes like adding beds, according to The Baltimore Sun.
“If the number of coronavirus cases continues to increase, hospitals will need additional financial resources to further expand capacity. Our agency is taking action now to ensure hospitals are appropriately funded and ready for the potential surge of patients," commission chairman Adam Kane said in a statement.
The Sun reports the commission has not granted any increases as of yet and there is no projected estimate of costs.
As hospitals cut elective surgeries and other revenue, state officials are also pursuing federal funding to help with the costs of emergency coronavirus care.
April 02, 2020 at 9:16 am, mac said:
They will be raising rates to be paid by the unfortunates who become ill with this deadly disease.
We have been told, repeatedly, that treatment for Covid-19 will be at no cost to the individual. This increase will be paid by the insurance carriers or by Medicare and Medicaid.
This will, in turn, cause the insurance carriers to increase rates to their subscribers to make up for this loss.
The individual will pay one way or another.
April 02, 2020 at 10:34 am, Ken said:
> Mac, I think you’re right about you and I paying for it but I see this as ending up as a government bailout.
This pandemic is going to financially ruin the traditional for profit insurance industry as the losses will be so deep they will not be able to make it up in any realistic time frame. Add to that the fact that people without insurance need to be treated in order to stop this pandemic and it’s all but assured we’ll be paying for it.
Whether or not we like it, this is also likely to change the dialog on Medicare for all because this isn’t going to be the last of the pandemics we will face.
April 02, 2020 at 10:59 am, mac said:
> Ken, absolutely right. This is another bailout, plain and simple.
This may be the BEST argument for Medicare for all. The Federal government is already going to be obligated to cover losses due to Covid-19. Why pay additional monies to private insurance carriers to not only cover losses but to also guarantee stock dividend profits to investors?
Let Medicare cover all medical coverage and eliminate the for profit insurance companies?
April 02, 2020 at 9:39 am, j.r. lepley said:
is nt that price gouging ,that s exactly what store s and everyone else catch s hell for !
April 02, 2020 at 11:50 am, jim said:
$1500 ambulance rides. $2000 CAT scans. Several thousand to be babysat in observation. How can rates be raised any higher? It is robbery already.
April 02, 2020 at 5:54 pm, hollywood said:
Don’t forget pain management, $32.00 ( two aspirin )I just bought 150 of those at the dollar store for $1. non-taxable.
April 02, 2020 at 1:15 pm, Ron Stephen said:
Unbelievable!!price gouging pure and simple. Should not be allowed.
April 02, 2020 at 1:25 pm, Ken said:
How can rates be raised any higher?
Medical insurance are for profit businesses. When for profit businesses see an huge demand they don’t lower their prices. This is how a business makes money.