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United offer: We'll pay doctors up front for patients' share

In exchange, physicians must accept lower reimbursement. And with enrollment voluntary for physicians and patients, there's some question about whether the plan will take off.

By Jonathan G. Bethely, amednews staff. April 10, 2006.

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UnitedHealth Group is launching a pilot program it believes will make physicians' lives much easier when it comes to collecting patients' share of costs. Rather than having to confront patients, physicians and hospitals would get that money from United, which then would collect from the patient.

Minnesota-based United figures the plan will have great appeal for physicians and hospitals, who often report that 15% to 20% of patient debt never gets paid and that even the debt they collect costs them time and money. It's one of many ideas popping up to reassure physicians and hospitals skittish about consumer-directed health care, because it might result in greater efforts to collect patient fees.

Under the program, called OnePay, United pays the patient's portion of the medical bill to a physician or hospital after adjudication.

United's first recourse would be to deduct funds from the patient's health savings account or health reimbursement account. If the patient isn't able to pay within 20 days, United becomes a creditor through its bank, Exante, and would deduct payments plus interest from the patient's paycheck. United is limiting the amount to be deducted to around $100 per month until the medical bill has been paid.

"We're trying to shift everyone's role and responsibility," said Tom Policelli, senior vice president of health care financial solutions for Uniprise, United's consumer-driven health care unit.

"This pilot will fail if we don't improve the hospitals' [and physicians'] cash flow. The real trick is to attract a cross section of the population," he said.