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Outpatient fee for uninsured to double Due to increased cuts in state appropriations this year, the fee uninsured patients must pay for outpatient visits will increase to $40 beginning Jan. 1. Sixteen months ago, the Medical University introduced a mandatory charge of $20 for outpatient visits for patients without health insurance. The current charge goes to the Medical Center in order to offset the costs of running the McClennan-Banks Clinic. The new charge will go to UMA in order to offset the costs of physician services.  According to Mark Lyles, M.D., associate dean for Clinical Affairs, most patients have been willing to pay the charge and the McClennan-Banks clinic has experienced only a minor decrease in patient volume. “We anticipated that as much as 10 percent of patients would request exemption from the payment on the basis of financial need,” said Lyles. “As it turns out, in our adult primary care clinic, only about 2 percent of patients have requested such exemptions.” “As we face declining reimbursement from state, federal and private insurers, we no longer have the ability to provide medical care for free to uninsured patients,” said Jerry Reves, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine and vice president of Medical Affairs.  “The UMA leadership reviewed the situation carefully and felt that this action was absolutely necessary,” said UMA President Bruce Elliott, M.D. “Those patients who demonstrate inability to make this payment will be given waivers,” he added.  The physician clinic director or his/her designee will grant the waivers. Any patient who qualifies for a waiver will be referred to a representative of the Financial Services or Social Work Department to determine if the patient qualifies for any governmental or community assistance programs available to uninsured patients. “We are committed to our patients, including those who do not have medical insurance,” said MUSC President Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D. “Nevertheless, we cannot keep our clinic doors open without payment for our services. On top of all cuts in prior years, we have taken a  4 percent cut in state appropriations this year, with more expected in the coming months. We are working at both the state and federal levels to increase the awareness of the challenge of providing care to the uninsured.” Clinic and hospital staff will be provided more information about this new charge at their in-service sessions in the coming weeks.  Those with questions about this fee are asked to contact either their departmental business manager or Lyles at 792-9565.