Forever barter has occurred with the family doctor in rural areas. My uncle-in-law is a family doctor and respiratory specialist in the farming community in Northern Utah. In his practice he has accepted turkey, live and dead, dog runs, construction work, and more in exchange for services.
The trend for health clinics to barter with patients is creeping toward urban centers. Dr. James Gingerich of the Maple City Health Care Center in Goshen noticed patients were not paying their bills, and in a creative burst instituted the “More Than Money” program. Designed to help foster a healthy community, patients see the doctor and pay for their visits in volunteer hours. According to the information on their website,
At Maple City Health Care Center, low-income people who have no insurance are eligible for sliding fee discounts. Some families pay no more than 10% of the cost of their health care.
With the recent economy, however, some families are unable to pay even 10%. Because Maple City’s mission is to foster a healthy community, the staff and board decided that building the community is worth more than money.
Now, patients who cannot afford to pay money can pay for their health care by volunteering for community organizations. A variety of organizations have agreed to use Maple City’s volunteers. Some of the organizations include La Casa, Chamberlain School, Habitat for Humanity, and The Window.
“This is not charity,” Jennifer Hire, Maple City’s General Manager, explains. “People in the More Than Money program are helping us accomplish our mission, which is to foster a healthy community.”
As of July 1, 2009, twenty-nine people from twenty-two families have used the program. They have volunteered for seven community organizations including The Window, Habitat for Humanity, and La Casa.
The families in the More Than Money program have volunteered 330 hours. A mother of three children described the More Than Money as “a good help”. She said that she and her husband felt depressed and stressed because of un-employment and bills.
“When we started working at Center for Healing and Hope, we felt better about ourselves and our situation.”
The father of a family of three children said, “I felt relief that I could pay for the doctor.”
His work had unexpected benefits. “When I worked for La Casa, I learned how to build walls and fix plaster.”
This is a trend moving in to more and more clinics where under-insured or non-insured patients have nothing to give in the form of cash, but plenty to offer in terms of service or goods to exchange for health care.
As an industry, barter exchanges can facilitate the movement of these goods and services flowing in to health clinics, helping them to manage the unconventional methods of payment they are receiving.
