Hospitals Push for Upfront Payments as Healthcare Costs Rise The case of Thomas Zordani, who was asked to pay $5,000 upfront for a consultation at the Mayo Clinic, is not an isolated incident.
It's a symptom of a larger problem that has been brewing in the US healthcare system: hospitals increasingly demanding cash payments from patients before providing care.
This phenomenon has developed over years as medical providers face rising costs and insurers shift more expenses onto patients' shoulders.