“An Emerging Tool to Prevent Medical Debt”: A live event from Tradeoffs, in partnership with KFF
Most hospitals offer financial assistance to patients who struggle to afford their bills, often referred to as charity care. But many people are stymied by cumbersome aid applications. Others don’t even know help exists.
Hospitals can proactively screen patients to see if they’re eligible for aid and, if so, automatically wipe out or reduce their bills — a process known as presumptive eligibility.
A growing number of state policymakers and researchers believe requiring hospitals to use presumptive eligibility would protect low-income Americans from falling into medical debt, especially with federal funding cuts expected to increase the number of people without health insurance. Some hospital leaders resist new requirements, arguing in part that they put unfair responsibility on hospitals to address rising patient costs and a shrinking safety net.
Oregon passed the most comprehensive presumptive eligibility law in 2023. A similar law in California — originally opposed by hospitals — is set to take effect in July 2027. Los Angeles County public health officials have been working with local hospitals to make the new rules easier for them to implement.
In this live virtual event on Oct. 22, at 2 p.m. ET, KFF Health News senior correspondent Noam Levey and Tradeoffs reporter Melanie Evans will share their reporting about this emerging policy solution and the challenges that remain. They will be joined by policymakers and hospital officials from Oregon and Los Angeles, who will share their experiences, obstacles they faced and lessons learned.
This event is part of “Hidden Help,” an investigative series from Tradeoffs and KFF Health News about how hospitals can protect their patients from the life-altering harms of medical debt.
Panelists:
- Melanie Evans, Reporter and Producer, Tradeoffs
- Noam N. Levey, Senior Correspondent, KFF Health News
- Lisa Reynolds, Pediatrician, Oregon State Senator (sponsored the 2023 OR legislation)
- Vardan Shamamyan, Staff Analyst, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (worked with the local hospital association to develop and procure a PE system for county hospitals)
- Adena Tessler, Regional Vice President, Los Angeles, Hospital Association of Southern California (hospitals regard the California law as an unfunded mandate and are concerned they’re being asked to shoulder the cost of federal health spending cuts, but the HASC did work amicably with LA county)