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hospital personnel input a patient number and a procedure code
for a charge, the procedure file automatically posts the charge
amount to "Accounts Receivable--Patient", to a general ledger
revenue account, and to the patient's account. The patient
charge amount for many individual procedures involving a medical
supply is determined by the hospital based on a schedule of
algorithms input into the computer. The schedule of algorithms
typically determines the charge for a procedure involving a
medical supply as a multiple of the cost of the item used or as a
multiple of the average wholesale price of the pharmaceutical
used. The amount of that multiple varies from item to item and
ranges from 150 percent of cost to well over 4,000 percent of
cost.
Each hospital's computer room master file contains all
hospital room numbers and their respective rates. The room
master file automatically posts room charges daily, not only to
"Accounts Receivable--Patient" and to a general ledger revenue
account, but also to the patient's account and to the billing or
receivable system.
A charge for nursing care is not separately listed on either
the summary or the detailed bills provided to the hospitals'
patients. The charge for nursing is included in the charge for
the room, in the charge identified by location, and in the other
charge categories, including the cost of certain medical supplies
used for patients.
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