Have You Asked for a Discount?
That was the question I posed to a friend of mine, we’ll call her Tina, who wished she could get a discount on her medical bills.
Tina is self-employed and ended up with a pretty serious illness that kept her from working. Of course, no money was rolling in while Tina was sick. She paid the hospital and her physicians what she had too, but still racked up some pretty high medical bills.
Fast forward to today. She’s back to work and ready to put her illness behind her. There’s only one remaining issue. Paying off her medical debt. She has the money and is ready to pay off the hospital and her doctors. That’s how I got involved. She asked if there was any trick to getting discounts from her medical providers.
Just ask for a discount!
No secrets. No tricks. Just simply ask for a discount. Ok, maybe you could script yourself before you ask. I’d recommend stating that you understand it is customary to give a 25% discount when paying all at once in cash. It might not be their policy, but you’ve broke the ice and put a figure on the table.
Let me prepare you for the worst thing that can happen when you ask for a discount. Are you ready? They might say, “No.”
Most Providers will Negotiate with You!
I managed cancer centers all across the United States and was constantly negotiating with patients, their families, and their insurance companies. You’d be surprised how many times I simply excepted the above offer from a patient or their family without a fight. Why? It costs money every time one of my employees touch an outstanding account. Think about it. There’s employee’s time, paper and envelopes to send bills, postage, and other operating expenses attached to that account.
The other reason was for the patient and their families. Sometimes it is best to give them one less thing to worry about!
Be Prepared to Pay Your Bill
This is very important. Relationships are built on trust and your medical providers don’t want to negotiate if you’re not willing to pay. Plus, it is just a waste of time. Your time and their time.
