This month I am excited to share with you some changes coming your way. The biggest change you’ll notice is our billing statements. For years, our patients have received two bills – one for services done at the hospital, and one for services done at our medical clinics. This was often confusing and frustrating. Three weeks ago, we converted our billing to a single statement. This single statement will include charges related to all the care you receive at MRH, whether in the hospital or at one of our clinics. We know that one of the biggest frustrations for our patients has been our billing, and daily we are working on improving this part of your care experience.

Another change that began September 1^st is compliance with House Bill 21-1198. This bill requires all hospitals to screen uninsured patients to determine their eligibility for financial assistance (sliding-fee-scale discounts) and public coverage (Medicare, Medicaid, CHP+, CICP, etc.). This screening is required for every uninsured patient at every encounter. If you do not wish to be screened, you can opt-out by signing a form. This screening is required EVERY time, regardless of your decision to opt-out of previous times. As a community, about 10% of our population is without insurance. This new legislation is designed to ensure as many people as possible have health insurance coverage or access to financial assistance.

This fall, we will become a Certified Application Site and have available certified financial counselors who will be available to help those without insurance get signed up for coverage during the Open Enrollment period. Open Enrollment starts November 1^st and runs through January 15, 2023. Watch for more information in October.