title: Never pay retail again. HHS' Thompson says hospitals' discounts to uninsured are legal, as advocates celebrate and hospitals ponder pricing strategies.
abstract: Consumer advocates praised HHS' assertion that hospitals can legally give discounts to the uninsured, but hospitals expressed more cautious optimism. The declaration fell short of a legal safe harbor, which the AHA requested, and Dara Corrigan, left, HHS' acting principal deputy inspector general, says hospitals will have to be careful. Still, the decision may prompt more hospitals to change billing practices.
authors.forename: Mary Chris
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Jaklevic
mesh_terms: D017722:Hospital Charges / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D016365:Liability, Legal; D017057:Medically Uninsured; D010350:Patient Credit and Collection / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D017664:Uncompensated Care / Q000191:economics*; D014481:United States; D014483:United States Dept. of Health and Human Services