Finance Administrator - Term Paper Example

Running Head: You are a finance administrator and a patient has no insurance Insert His/her You are a finance administrator and a patient has no insurance The main reason behind people lacking medical coverage is because they cannot afford it. Consequently, the uninsured people are one of the biggest challenges that organizations need to focus on, not only because of the impact to financial reimbursement, but because of negative effects on access to healthcare. The Financial Resources, including both Governments sponsored programs as well as services offered by Not for Profit Organizations, to ensure that the uninsured patients are carefully treated consist of the following options for the Financial Administrator to select from: 1.

Public Health Clinics: Government operated free or down scale clinics for uninsured and medical assistance patients. These often can provide free medication to their patients from their own pharmacies, and may provide lab and radiology services. 2. Medicare: Medicare is the medical insurance provided with social sanctuary. It is a separate program with slightly different eligibility criteria. It is available to retirees, their spouses, disabled workers who have been on social security. People with Medical Assistance get coverage from the state for uncovered expenses (if they are insured and get certain percentage of expenses from the insurance company) or all the expenses are recovered from State if the patient is uninsured. 3. Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program: This program is designed to ensure that patients with highly deteriorating conditions or terminal diseases have access to the new treatments available at low rates or for free.

These medications are highly expensive, and often out of reach even to insured patients or those of moderate income, therefore, special considerations are made to uninsured patients. 4. Pharmaceutical Company Indigent Patient Programs: Most pharmaceutical Companies which provide a supply of their brand name drugs for low income patients who are not covered by any prescription plans at low cost or for free to promote their business and contribute to society. In order to receive these, a patient's physician must usually contact the manufacturer.

Income limits and documentation requirements vary from case to case, some just want a note from the doctor that patient cannot afford the medication or an application made by the patient himself properly authenticated will also help to get such assistance. 5. Smart Shopping: If an uninsured patient is paying cash, the medicines will often cost you more than the insured patients. As the insurance providers control so many patients that doctors, hospitals and pharmacists are forced to offer them discounts to keep their clientele.

Ask what discounts are available to people who pay at the time of service and negotiate prices. Hospitals may offer significant discounts if you pay up front or use a credit card. Pharmacies may shift costs from expensive brand drugs to the inexpensive generics. One-time drugs, like antibiotics, are often expensive. 6. Charitable Institutions: Numerous organizations provide financial assistance. Resources provided by individual organizations vary from case to case and it is important to check with a specific group to determine if financial aid is currently available.

Such organizations provide financial assistance to patients who cannot afford the costs of treatment, medicines, laboratory test or travel. The Finance Administrator can discuss and recommend one or more of the above mentioned resources to the uninsured patient and can also participate to make available the above resources to the patient by utilizing the Company contacts. Applications and authentications to Pharmaceutical Companies and Charitable Organizations can be made by the Administrator on behalf of the patient.

Further the availability and provision of the aid can be ensured by telephonic contacts or even email. The Finance Administrator can also call for funds from the other personnel of the organization so as to generate a medical fund for other uninsured workers. Further, low cost employee health insurance programs can be introduced in future so as to actively treat such people in future as healthy workers are more efficient than unhealthy ones in all aspects. References: 1 Green.C Procedure for Providing Healthcare to a Patient Without Insurance http://www.ehow.com/way_5583809_procedure-providing-healthcare-patient-insurance.

html 2 Easey.C Financial Help for Cancer Patients Without Insurance http://www.ehow.com/about_5385119_financial-cancer-patients-insurance.html 3 Moss.M How to Manage a Healthcare Organization for the Uninsured http://www.ehow.com/how_5022541_manage-healthcare-organization-uninsured.html 4 Morgan.L Options for Those with No Health Insurance http://www.ehow.com/way_5681319_options-those-health-insurance.html