PFIN 5th Edition by Randall Billingsley,Lawrence Gitman,Michael Joehnk

Exercise 3

Evaluating health care coverage. Lee Nickerson was a self-employed window washer earning approximately $700 per week. One day, while cleaning windows on the eighth floor of the Second National Bank Building, he tripped and fell from the scaffolding to the pavement below. He sustained multiple severe injuries but miraculously survived the accident. He was immediately rushed to the local hospital for surgery. Lee remained there for 60 days of treatment, after which he was allowed to go home for further recuperation. During his hospital stay, he incurred the following expenses: surgeon, $2,500; physician, $1,000; hospital bill for room and board, $250 per day; nursing services, $1,200; anesthetics, $600; wheelchair rental, $100; ambulance, $150; and drugs, $350. Lee has a major medical policy that has a $3,000 deductible clause, an 80 percent co-insurance clause, internal limits of $180 per day on hospital room and board, and $1,500 as a maximum surgical fee. The policy provides no disability income benefits.
a. Explain the policy provisions as they relate to deductibles, co-insurance, and internal limits.
b. How much should Lee recover from the insurance company? How much must he pay out of his own pocket?
c. Would any other policies have offered Lee additional protection? What about his inability to work while recovering from his injury?
d. Based on the information presented, how would you assess Lee's health care insurance coverage? Explain.