Will FICO Scores Dictate Health Care?
Friday January 18, 2008
There's talk of a new FICO score that will specifically predict a person's likelihood of paying their medical bills. The score, currently being called MedFICO, will be calculated and used similarly to regular credit scores only it will be used by hospitals to "help hospitals make better financial planning decisions." (Said by Tim Hurley, spokeman for HealthCare Analytics, developer of the new score.)
Hurley also claims the "MedFICO" score won't be used before treatment is given to patients, but after they've been discharged. But how can consumers be sure of that, is a question asked by consumer advocacy groups.
If this new MedFICO score (not the official name) is actually put into place, does that mean consumers might be refused treatment because of a past inability or unwillingness to pay? Being turned down for a credit card because of past delinquencies is one thing - people don't need credit cards. But, being turned down for health care because of a past delinquency is another - people need health care.
Share your comments. What do you think of a medical credit score?
Related News Articles:
The Red Tape Chronicles: The Doctor Will See Your Credit Now
Chicago Tribune: Medical industry plans to rate payment history
Hurley also claims the "MedFICO" score won't be used before treatment is given to patients, but after they've been discharged. But how can consumers be sure of that, is a question asked by consumer advocacy groups.
If this new MedFICO score (not the official name) is actually put into place, does that mean consumers might be refused treatment because of a past inability or unwillingness to pay? Being turned down for a credit card because of past delinquencies is one thing - people don't need credit cards. But, being turned down for health care because of a past delinquency is another - people need health care.
Share your comments. What do you think of a medical credit score?
Related News Articles:
The Red Tape Chronicles: The Doctor Will See Your Credit Now
Chicago Tribune: Medical industry plans to rate payment history
Comments
I feel like this will be another form of discrimination. How can the patient be sure their score is not being looked at before the treatment? And further more, if a person is in need of medical treatment whether they have the ability to pay or not should not have a bearing on their life. What if the hospital finds out the patient has a MEDFico of 2 after they have performed triple open heart surgery, are they going to reverse it?
This concept is a total crock.It is nothing more than an underhanded attempt to deny care to those who don’t measure up financially and phyisically. Those involved in this will make a pot full of money and those on the receiving end will loose the limited assets they have. or no treatment. This needs to be stopped now.
Is this what it is coming to? Probably next they will check out scores for us to get onto the intersate. or may even should we wake up that day.
To much government control.
As long as hospitals and doctors are in business to make money, the ability to pay… rules. We need to find a better way to manage health care in this country. Your vote is your power to change this system.
So would this MedFico remove medical deliuqencies from the main FICO score? I had 750 FICO prior to having a hospital send two bills to collections – all because they had the wrong address and didn’t know I even had a bill after my insurance had paid. It’s destroyed my FICO score, so I wonder what the impact will be if they do separate them?
I beleive that something has to be done about the medical deliuqencies in this country. At the rate we are going the medical profession is struggling, and even though health care is at high demand; health care workers are being laid off. If you show an intent to pay is one thing, but to receive services on a regular basis and pay nothing such as many do is unexceptable. I think this may be a good idea.