Before Mark Edwards ever reclined on a hospital operating table in September, he'd received two bills for his outpatient procedure and was asked to remit $500. After he left the hospital, the Paducah, Ky., businessman paid $2,000 more, the rest of his insurance deductible. "Luckily, I could take out a credit card and pay. A lot of people can't," Edwards said. His experience, being asked to pay a sum upfront for surgery, has become increasingly common as doctors' practices and hospitals navigate the world of employer-provided high-deductible health plans and the launch of the federal Affordable Care Act.
In a social media landscape shaped by hashtags, algorithms, and viral posts, nurse leaders must decide: Will they let the narrative spiral, or can they adapt and join the conversation?
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