Medical debt is crushing hospital patients in LA. Health officials may have a fix

SO BASICALLY, I HAVE BEEN TELLING YOU THIS FOR TEN MINUTES BUT THE WHOLE SYSTEM IN LA IS FRACTURED AND IT IS CRAZY! SO LOS ANGELES COUNTY IS THE BIGGEST IN THE NATION, RIGHT, AND THEY HAVE THIS MASSIVE PROBLEM WHERE PATIENTS ARE GETTING ABSOLUTELY CRUSHED BY MEDICAL DEBT WHICH MAKES NO SENSE. BUT NOW, APPARENTLY, HEALTH OFFICIALS MIGHT HAVE A FIX! THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS NEW SYSTEM THAT AUTOMATICALLY SCREENS PATIENTS FOR FINANCIAL AID BEFORE THE BILL EVEN HITS. WHICH IS WILD BECAUSE IT COULD STOP HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM GETTING BILLS THEY LITERALLY CANNOT PAY. IT IS LIKE THEY FOUND A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX OR SOMETHING BUT IN A GOOD WAY, JUST HELPING PEOPLE NOT GO BROKE FOR STAYING ALIVE. OK I AM GETTING ANOTHER ROUND, THINK ABOUT IT.

YOU KNOW WHAT IS ACTUALLY MENTAL IS HOW WE JUST LET PEOPLE GET BURIED IN DEBT FOR GETTING SICK. NPR WAS SAYING THAT IN LA COUNTY, THEY ARE TRYING TO ROLL OUT THIS NEW PROGRAM TO SCREEN EVERYONE FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AUTOMATICALLY. IT IS NOT EVEN A COMPLEX IDEA, THEY JUST WANT TO CHECK IF YOU QUALIFY FOR HELP UP FRONT INSTEAD OF WAITING UNTIL YOU ARE DEEP IN THE HOLE. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HERE WHO COULD BE SAVED FROM RUINOUS BILLS JUST BECAUSE OF SOME BETTER SOFTWARE OR PROCESS OR WHATEVER THE OFFICIALS ARE BUILDING. IT IS LIKE A SYSTEMIC UPGRADE TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM BEING DESTROYED BY THE SYSTEM. IT IS HONESTLY FASCINATING TO WATCH POLICY MOVE LIKE THIS. ANYWAY I WILL BE THINKING ABOUT THIS IN THE TAXI.

Los Angeles County is considering implementing a new automated system to screen hospital patients for financial aid to prevent them from receiving overwhelming medical bills.

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