CHI Health Launches Affordable Care Initiative For Patients Financially Affected by Coronavirus

Immediate Release

 

CHI HEALTH LAUNCHES AFFORDABLE CARE INITIATIVE FOR PATIENTS FINANCIALLY AFFECTED BY CORONAVIRUS 

 

CHI Health reaches out to Nebraska, southwestern Iowa patients struggling financially due to COVID-19 with a program offering affordable, transparent prices and no surprise bills.

 

KEARNEY & GRAND ISLAND — June 9, 2020— In the midst of COVID-19, the Nebraska Department of Labor reports the state’s unemployment rate at 8.3 percent. For many members of our community, that means losing health insurance, reliable income and the means to pay for everyday expenses. As doctors and hospitals open for elective procedures, MDsave is making sure that these workers and their families aren’t left without medical care.

 

“Giving Nebraskans and Iowans access to health care is at the very core of CHI Health’s values,” said Cary Ward, MD, Chief Medical Officer of CHI Health. “We know many people in the communities we serve have been impacted by COVID-19. That’s why we continue to partner with MDsave to provide affordable access to health care. This could mean a lower price for a visit with a physician, getting your routine mammogram or even undergoing a surgical procedure.”

 

To expand options for accessible care, MDsave has partnered with hospitals across the country to enable transparent, affordable healthcare. Patients paying out of pocket, like those who’ve lost their insurance due to COVID-19, need one upfront price they can understand and budget for, without the fear of getting a surprise bill a month later.

 

With MDsave, CHI Health including Good Samaritan in Kearney and St. Francis in Grand Island can offer special reduced prices because the amount of administration needed for coding and billing has been reduced.

 

“By helping our hospital partners get paid without the traditional hassle of insurance claims or collections, we’re able to pre-negotiate savings that we pass on to patients,” explains Paul Ketchel, MDsave CEO and co-founder.

 

Now that non-essential procedures can resume, it’s important to recognize the toll this has taken on the physical and financial health of both patients and hospitals. MDsave is working with our hospital partners to enable a return to normalcy and bring accessible care back to the community.

 

To learn more, visit CHIHealth.com/MDsave.

 

About MDsave

Co-located in Brentwood, Tenn. and San Francisco, Calif., MDsave is the world’s first online healthcare marketplace, bringing together patients seeking affordable, reliable care with providers offering high-quality services at fair prices. Using cutting-edge technology, MDsave simplifies the healthcare billing process for patients and providers alike through negotiated rates, bundled pricing, and upfront payment. The MDsave marketplace also helps employers and payers offer more value to employees and policyholders with out-of-pocket deductible costs. Launched in June 2012, the company offers a wealth of information on its website about common illnesses and procedures. For more information, visit http://www.mdsave.com.

 

About CHI Health

CHI Health is a regional health network with a unified mission: nurturing the healing ministry of the Church while creating healthier communities. Headquartered in Omaha, the combined organization consists of 14 hospitals, two stand-alone behavioral health facilities, more than 150 employed physician practice locations and more than 10,000 employees in Nebraska and southwestern Iowa.

 

In fiscal 2019, CHI Health invested more than $185 million back into our communities. The majority of those dollars went to caring for the poor and underserved.

 

CHI Health is part of CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit, Catholic health system dedicated to advancing health for all people. It was created in February 2019 through the alignment of Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health. CommonSpirit Health is committed to creating healthy communities, delivering exceptional patient care, and ensuring every person has access to quality health care. With its national office in Chicago and a team of approximately 150,000 employees and 25,000 physicians and advanced practice clinicians, CommonSpirit Health operates 142 hospitals and more than 700 care sites across 21 states. In FY 2018, Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health had combined revenues of $29.2 billion and provided $4.2 billion in charity care, community benefit, and unreimbursed government programs.