Business
HCA offers discounts to uninsured
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Jan. 31, 2005
HCA, the nation's largest for-profit hospital chain, has begun offering discounts to patients who are uninsured but don't qualify for Medicaid or charity care.
The discounts, similar to those offered to many managed care patients, took effect Jan. 1. HCA said it adopted the new policy after receiving legal guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services assuring it that the move wouldn't jeopardize its hospitals' Medicare payments.
Rival hospital operator Tenet Healthcare Corp. adopted a similar policy nearly two years ago as part of a settlement of price-gouging claims.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/01/31/bibf0131.htm.












