Harrisburg, Pa.-based PinnacleHealth System is offering the Hope Card, a new program that allows patients struggling with medical bills to wage online and social media campaigns for donations, according to a PennLive report.
PinnacleHealth CFO William Pugh said the program, which is for those who are receiving discounted care but do not qualify for free care, is "like a health savings account that's funded by your friends, family and co-workers," according to the report.
The Hope Card is a debit card patients use to pay for medical services, thus assuring donors that the cause is legitimate and that the money will go toward nothing except the patient's medical need, according to the report.
Mr. Pugh told PennLive that individuals using the Hope Card are charged amounts similar to or less than what health insurers pay, depending on their incomes.