Haggling Over Healthcare

ANCHOR LEAD
YOU MAY BE USED TO DRIVING A HARD BARGAIN WHEN IT COMES TO BUYING A CAR OR A HOUSE, BUT HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO HAGGLE WITH YOUR DOCTOR? SCOTT HANSON GIVES YOU A HEADS UP ON A NEW PRESCRIPTION FOR AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE.

SOT
KEY @ :02 Aaron Powell, Uninsured
"If I could have health insurance I would have health insurance, but right now I just can't... I can't afford it on my own."

TRACK ONE Length :08
SOURCE: According to the 2003 US Census Bureau report, there are more than 40 million Americans without health insurance.
AARON POWELL IS ONE OF MORE THAN 40 MILLION AMERICANS WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE. HE SAYS JUST THE THOUGHT OF A HIGH BILL KEEPS HIM FROM GOING TO THE DOCTOR.

SOT
KEY @ :16 Aaron Powell, Uninsured
"I know if I do have something, God forbid, happen that I won't be able to afford it."

SOT
KEY @ :19 Ron Pollack, Director, Families USA
"Costs of healthcare have skyrocketed and they're rising much faster than wages."

TRACK TWO Length :12
SOURCE: According to Kelly Gullo at Harris Interactive, less than 1 in 5 consumers have asked for a discount. 54% of those who did were able to negotiate a lower price after talking with their doctors.
ACCORDING TO A HARRIS POLL, FEWER THAN ONE IN FIVE CONSUMERS HAVE EVER ASKED FOR A DISCOUNT, BUT OVER HALF OF THOSE WHO DID, WERE REWARDED...SO EXPERTS SAY IT IS DEFINITELY WORTH TRYING...
START AT YOUR DOCTOR'S OFFICE...

SOT
KEY @ :38 Ron Pollack, Director, Families USA
"People should not be afraid to talk to their physician, talk to the billing nurse and say, 'You know, I don't have insurance' or 'I can't make this payment.'"

TRACK THREE Length :13
NEXT, SEE WHAT MEDICARE REIMBURSES FOR YOUR PROCEDURE.
SUGGEST A PRICE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THAT NUMBER AND YOUR DOCTOR'S RATE.
YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO OFFER TO PAY IMMEDIATELY AND IN CASH, AND MAKE SURE YOU MAKE YOUR OFFER IN PERSON, NOT OVER THE PHONE...

SOT
KEY @ :1:00 Aaron Powell, Uninsured
"They can see you're not trying to just scam your way through the system."

TRACK FOUR/STANDUP Length :09
AARON SAYS HE'D REALLY LIKE TO SCHEDULE A WELL-VISIT, SO HE'S GOING TO TRY TO NEGOTIATE WITH HIS DOCTOR.... AFTER ALL, THAT DOESN'T COST A DIME! I'M SCOTT HANSON.

ANCHOR TAG
BE AWARE...SOME COSTS CAN'T BE NEGOTIATED. BY LAW, A PHYSICIAN CANNOT WAIVE THE CO-PAY REQUIRED BY MEDICARE. AND SOME INSURANCE COMPANIES DO NOT ALLOW CO-PAYS TO BE WAIVED.
YOU CAN FIND THE MEDICARE FEE SCHEDULE AT www.cms.hhs.gov/physicians/pfs/.

SOURCE LIST

Ron Pollack
Director, Families USA
Contact: Alexandra Zava (202) 628-3030.

Families USA is a national nonprofit organization working to gain high-quality, affordable health care for Americans.

Kelly Gullo
Harris Interactive
(585) 214-7172

Harris Interactive is a research firm that is well known for The Harris Poll and for its Internet-based research methods. To view the poll, head to:
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/allnewsbydate.asp?NewsID=443

The number of Americans without Health Insurance statistic was from the US Census Bureau.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-154.html