The frontiersman., 1953-09-24
HOSPITAL SETS NEW CREDIT POLICY

NEW GkEDlh PUklGY
 Rising costs of operation and the human habit of hating to pay bills have forced the Valley Hospital into a very tight situa- tion," Ed Smith, president of the hospital board reported this. week. We simply can't continue to function unless we get a bet ter record on collections.
 A finance committee report at last Fridays monthly meeting showed that there were over 400 accounts receivable, amounting to an excess of $27, 1000 on the books. Further study by the committee showed that 150 of these accounts were for services provided be- fore January, 1853. Accounts of this age normally are termed "bad" the committee reported. Approximately $13,000 of these bad accounts were being carried by the hospital. The accounts had been billed an average of eight times without being cleared up. Many supposedly substantial and upright local residents and neigh bors are included in the group, they pointed out.
 The committee recommended, and the board approved, that AZ of the 150 bad accounts be mark ed ING" and the $2,500 repre- sented be written off as uncol- lectable. Letters have been mail ed to 16 other past-patients hav- ing accounts of less than $40 stating that their accounts would be marked NC unless settled inn mediately. The board feels, Smith said, that most of these custo- mers have no intention of paying their bills but recognize that court costs would be more that the account is worth. Board mem- bers stated that any of this group that it's not settled by Ocober l will be placed on a list and post ed in the hospital to advise the staff that these persons are poor pay and that extra caution should be practiced when accepting these families for future hospi- talization. '|s
 Another 30 accounts are to be turned over to the hospitals legal advisor Paul Robison of Kaye, Robison and Moody in Anchor age, on October 1. These 30 ac- counts represent over $4,60O owed by persons known to have resources and able to cay their accounts. Legal action already placed on some accounts has re- suited in payment of the full , court costs, plus attorneys fees. amount due plus interest, plus This step makes disqualification rather expensive for the indivi- dual, ranging from 20 percent to over 100 percent, in addition to the balance of the bill, they pointed out.
 A finance committee member has written personal letters, after a personal appeal, to 31 accounts where it was believed there might be some chance of pay ment. These accounts represent very nearly $3,000 and are con- idered to be collectable. It is hoped by the board that this group will settle their accounts without court action. However, they added, any that are not settled within the next few weeks also will be turned over to MT. Robson for legal action.
 Many of the 1853 accounts in volve insurance or are new and considered to be perfectly safe the committee asserted. However, narly half of them are for $50 or less and should have been cleared up immediately. Some of the others rapidly are becoming bad. Appropriate steps to collect these will be made during October and then certain accounts will go to the attorney for legal action.
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