AccessOne, a leading provider of patient financing options designed to help consumers manage their healthcare costs, announced that it will serve as the exclusive patient payment plan provider for Navicent Health, a health system licensed for over 1,000 beds serving central and south Georgia. The partnership offers consumers increased flexibility when it comes to paying for care, with a range of programs with generous interest-free or low-interest payment plans depending on their needs.

Patients who already have payment plans through Navicent Health may pay off their Navicent Health plan or continue with those terms in a plan with AccessOne. According to Chris Wilde, executive vice president and Chief Financial Officer for Navicent Health.

“We’re putting patients’ well-being at the heart of our patient financial services program by working to expand our options and remove the stress from healthcare payments,” Wilde said. “The addition of flexible healthcare payment plans enables patients to select their most appropriate payment option, no matter their financial circumstance.”

Patients also will gain 24/7 mobile access to their accounts, dedicated customer service for AccessOne accounts, and the ability to combine their family’s hospital bills into a single payment, regardless of which Navicent Health facility provided healthcare services. It’s an approach designed to take the stress out of managing costs of care.

A recent AccessOne survey found consumers are more likely to postpone healthcare treatment when they don’t feel prepared to manage the costs of their care. Survey results show 56% of consumers have delayed care due to costs—26% by a year or more. Meanwhile, 40% of consumers aren’t sure how they would pay an unexpected medical expense under $500, and 60% say an unexpected medical bill of less than $1,000 would spark worry.

“We want to ensure patients in the communities we serve are always able to get the care they need, when they need it, regardless of their ability to pay,” said Dr. Ninfa M. Saunders, FACHE, president and CEO of Navicent Health. “Patient financial burden is such a growing concern, and we want to ensure patients have flexibility and options, so they can focus on their own health.”

As the percentage of consumers with high-deductible health plans increases, offering a variety of affordable healthcare payment options is another way of supporting Navicent Health’s mission to provide compassionate care to all, regardless of their ability to pay.

“At a time when consumers shoulder a significant portion of the costs of their care, this initiative empowers Navicent Health patients to receive the healthcare services they need without worrying about their financial health,” said Mark Spinner, CEO of AccessOne. “We’re very pleased to support Navicent Health as it seeks to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for the communities it serves.”