Las Vegas hospital doesn't contract with any payers

Elite Medical Center, a Las Vegas-based acute care hospital that some experts say is operating similarly to a 24/7 freestanding emergency room, doesn't contract with any payers, according to the Milbank News.

EMC is a state-licensed hospital. It is an unaccredited hospital that has no agreements with insurers, meaning patients have to pay out-of-network prices for care. Under state law, EMC isn't required to be accredited by CMS or accept public or private insurance.

On EMC's website, the medical center states, "This facility is not a participating provider in any health benefit plan provider network. However, under the [ACA], your health insurance company is required to process your emergency visit at in-network benefit levels. The physician providing medical care at this facility may bill separately from the facility for the medical care provided to you."

While Nevada doesn't provide licenses for freestanding ERs — though hospitals can open satellite ERs at other locations — EMC obtained a state license to operate as a hospital. As a result, it has to be able to admit patients for 48 hours.

Bill Welch, president and CEO of the Nevada Hospital Association, told Milbank News: "We think that Elite Medical Center, if they want to operate as a hospital in the state, that they should operate as a CMS-certified center and they should be accredited and Medicare participating. Without those things, we're concerned."

EMC CEO Butch Frazier defended the hospital in an emailed statement to the publication, saying it often has higher online patient ratings than University Medical Center in Las Vegas.

"EMC tries hard to make sure that the ultimate charges paid by the patients and by the insurers to EMC are in line with what they are paying for the same services at other hospitals in the area," Mr. Frazier said. He added that EMC is seeking CMS accreditation.

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.

 

Top 40 articles from the past 6 months