Boston hospitals and insurers will waive most medical bills for bombing victims

[Tx4obama]

Boston Hospitals And Insurers Will Help Ease The Bombing Victims’ Medical Costs

The total medical costs resulting from last week’s Boston Marathon attack are expected to top $9 million — and that could be a conservative estimate, since the bombings’ injury toll has just been revised up to nearly 300 people. Fortunately, however, the city’s largest health providers are stepping up to ensure that the victims won’t suffer under the full weight of those mounting costs.

The Boston Globe reports that the largest health insurers in Massachusetts are planning to eliminate out-of-pocket fees for the bombing victims who are receiving treatment for their injuries, and three of the city’s hospitals are promising to delay billing those patients. Fortunately, health care providers plan to address ongoing treatment for long-term health issues as well as the initial emergency room care that victims received in the immediate aftermath of the attacks. Tufts Health Plan — a Boston-based insurer whose corporate offices are actually located just blocks away from where the manhunt to capture the bombing suspects first began with a shoot-out on Friday morning — has announced that, in addition to waiving costs for physical treatment, it will also cover the cost of mental health care.

“The physical injuries are easier to determine, but the mental health component is important,” a Tufts spokeswoman told the Boston Globe. “Six months down the road, someone may have a hard time dealing with these issues.” The insurance company has already contacted over a thousand mental health providers to make sure they will be available to take on the extra caseload that may arise as bombing survivors cope with potential post-traumatic stress disorder.

-snip-

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/04/25/1919921/boston-hospitals-insurers/

[bmbmd]

1. A kinder, gentler health care industry.

Who would have thought? Maybe it will catch on.

[lpbk2713]

2. Class act.

They didn't have to but they did.

What's not to like about Boston?

[Skittles]

3. smacks of complete hypocrisy

they don't gouge people who are receiving extensive publicity

[TheMadMonk]

4. Indeed. The acid test will come in a few months to years, when these victims...

...are no longer in the news and in need of follow up treatment.

[elehhhhna]

6. talk aboiut pre-existing conditions.

[elehhhhna]

5. I'm appalled that we applaud these companies for

fucking operating the way they should "Hey, lookie -- WE WON'T FUCK THESE PEOPLE!" Wow, attaboys.

[Skittles]

9. imagine being the guy who lost a limb last month

and is suffocating under piles of bills and won't be able to afford therapy

[elehhhhna]

11. imagine the 40% of americans who are un or underinsured who

have medical conditions and no sympathy or fundraisers

[malaise]

7. Nice n/t

[Honeycombe8]

8. Since I don't believe the insurers will pay out of their OWN pockets, that means...

that the rest of the insureds will pay in the form of increased premiums, I expect.

I just wouldn't believe until I see it that insurers will take money out of their profit margins to give insureds.

[surrealAmerican]

10. If it isn't fair or right that these victims pay ...

... these fees (and I agree that it isn't), why is it fair that other accident victims would have to pay them?

The system is unfair, and needs to be changed for everybody.

[Cha]

12. thanks Tx.. this is Good News for the poor victims.. :(

“The physical injuries are easier to determine, but the mental health component is important,” a Tufts spokeswoman told the Boston Globe. “Six months down the road, someone may have a hard time dealing with these issues.” The insurance company has already contacted over a thousand mental health providers to make sure they will be available to take on the extra caseload that may arise as bombing survivors cope with potential post-traumatic stress disorder.

Fortunately, thanks to Massachusetts’ health care system, most of the state residents already have health insurance. But the cost of treating serious injuries, particularly amputations, can still be exorbitant. Some of the bombing victims have already resorted to online fundraising to help raise the anticipated costs for their recovery.

[Scurrilous]

13. Good news!