Help for the Uninsured

Laurie's Story

After undergoing a successful operation to remove a spinal tumor, Laurie M. was relieved to know that she'd be fine. Grateful for the care she received at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, Laurie was on the road to recovery and eager to get back to life.

Within weeks following the procedure, however, Laurie received some shocking news: Her insurance company would only cover a portion of the procedure.

Like many, Laurie is self-employed and has to pay for her own health insurance. When she signed up for an insurance plan, she wanted to ensure she was covered for such catastrophic purposes. She thought she was, until she received her bill. Needless to say, Laurie was petrified. She couldn't cover the costs and didn’t know where to turn.

That's when the medical center stepped in and reviewed Laurie's situation. In the end, Laurie's bill was reduced by nearly 50 percent. Laurie was able to relax, be healthy and not be burdened by a bill she couldn't pay. "Not only did the doctors and nurses provide excellent care, but Sutter went above and beyond by helping me pay for a complicated procedure that may have saved my life," says Laurie.

Laurie is among the patients across our not-for-profit network benefiting from generous charity care programs. In early 2004, our Sutter Health network adopted a new policy that expanded our charity care policy and extended considerable discounts to low-income, uninsured patients. The new policy also provides catastrophic protection to these patients.


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