Intermountain Press Release

Salt Lake City —Intermountain Healthcare is continuing to enhance its charity processes, expanding on the changes introduced last August. In addition, changes at the insurance plan include the addition of a new preferred provider (PPO) product that will offer panel participation to all qualified physicians and facilities. Along with the new product offering, Intermountain will no longer offer its physician panels for use by other insurance carriers in Utah.

"For decades, Intermountain has provided care to residents of the Intermountain region with medical needs, regardless of ability to pay — and that will continue," says Bert Zimmerli, Intermountain senior vice president and chief financial officer. "We're making some additional enhancements to make the process even more patient-friendly."

In 2004 Intermountain expanded its 30-year-old program that provides charitable medical care. Patients with incomes up to five times the federal poverty level may qualify for discounts of up to 100 percent for the care they receive at Intermountain facilities. The discount is based on a sliding scale, taking into account income level, debts, liquid assets, and family size.

"Fear of a medical bill should never prevent someone in our community from seeking the care they need," says Zimmerli. "Intermountain has a responsibility to make sure our charity care resources are available in a patient-friendly way to those truly in need. We believe our enhanced program meets that goal."

This year's changes to Intermountain's charitable Financial Assistance Program include:

• Intermountain will not use a court proceeding to collect an unpaid medical bill unless there is evidence of fraud or an indication of ability to pay coupled with refusal to pay. Currently, out of millions of patient encounters every year, only about one out of 1,000 patient bills is delinquent to the point where a court action is needed for collection. Most bills are resolved through insurance, individual payments, or by the patient applying for charitable financial aid.
• For patients who choose to make extended payments on their bill, Intermountain has reduced the interest charged on those accounts from 14.5 percent to eight percent. Those currently on a payment plan have already had their interest rates reduced. Patients with a documented financial need can be set up on a payment plan with zero interest.
• Uninsured patients automatically qualify for a discount.
• Several Citizens Advisory Groups will be established in different parts of the state to review and give input into Intermountain's billing and collection processes. These groups will be constituted of volunteers from diverse segments of the community.
• An ombudsman's office will be established to be an advocate for patients with billing problems or other concerns.
• Intermountain has established an information Helpline for questions regarding charitable financial assistance. The toll-free number is 1-800-442-1128, or (801) 442-1128 in Salt Lake County.
  Inquiries can also be directly submitted online:
  • Financial Assistance Helpline
• Intermountain will continue to let patients and the community know that charitable financial assistance is available through a variety of means currently being used:
  • Brochures in hospital and clinics
  • Charity care policy signs inside facilities
  • Information about charitable financial assistance on billing statements
  • Information about charitable financial assistance on the outside of billing envelopes
  • Intermountain.com website patient billing information and financial assistance help:
    • Patient Billing & Financial Assistance
  • Information in Intermountain Healthcare publications
  • Telephone Helpline
  • Financial Assistance Counselors at facilities

Intermountain will continue its policy of not asking patients to sell homes, cars, or to access retirement funds to pay medical bills. Last year, people applied for and received charitable assistance in 147,462 cases through Intermountain.

"We believe this enhanced program will be used responsibly by the community and not abused," says Zimmerli. "It is also the responsibility of patients to communicate their financial situation if they need help — they must allow us to help them."

Intermountain also announced that after several years of study and to respond to market demand, its health insurance plan will offer a new preferred provider organization (PPO) later this year that will offer panel participation to any qualified physician or facility. IHC Health Plans will continue to also offer its existing insurance plans.

In 2006 Intermountain will no longer lease its panels of physicians to other independent insurers. Instead, insurers currently using the Intermountain physician panels will establish their own panels or contract with another organization that leases physician panels. With up to a year-long transition period, there should be no disruption of care for patients. Currently about 20 companies in Utah have leased Intermountain's physician panels rather than develop their own. The change will not affect patients with coverage through Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, or IHC Health Plans.