September 28, 2007
Mr. Carlyle Walton
Takoma Regional Hospital
401 Takoma Ave.
Greeneville, TN 37743
Dear Mr. Walton:
During our meeting late last month we discussed the increase in prices charged to patients who pay directly for TRH’s services. You asked me to submit a list to Mr. Richards of tests that PATMOS needs on a regular basis to see if the prices for these tests could be reduced. I did so by email about 3 weeks ago. Last week I received a new price list e-mailed to me by Tonya Lisenby. However, the prices are even higher than before.
I appreciate TRH for being transparent in its pricing and for discounting them for direct-paying patients and even more for those who pay at the time of service. This list enables me to assist patients in planning cost effective diagnostic and treatment strategies for their medical problems.
However, the prices are not lower as you promised – but higher. The discounted prices are still in most cases many times Medicare reimbursement rates. For example, a woman I sent to TRH this past week for an X-ray of her lumbar spine (that demonstrated breast cancer spread to her spine) paid $300 which, according to the patient, did not include the radiologist’s fee. The CMS website shows that Medicare pays $32.46 for the technical component of this procedure (72110). Before Takoma’s association with Wellmont, the charge to cash paying patients was $50, which included the radiologist’s fee.
The current price list does not reflect the promises you made during our meeting, and Mrs. Lisenby informed me that the prices are likely to go up again before the end of the year. I realize that you have many responsibilities and that you might not have had the time to discuss the promises you made during our meeting to Mr. Richards. I have included the list of tests PATMOS patients commonly need that I emailed to him. Please let me know if TRH plans to lower the prices it charges for direct paying patients and thus honor the promise you made.
Sincerely,
Robert S. Berry, MD
