After seeing so many patients struggle financially because of medical debt, a Nebraska surgeon created a better system.Dr. Demetrio Aguila III started the M25 Program at his Healing Hands of Nebraska surgical clinic and it allows people to pay for operations with community service.
Patients can choose a nonprofit from their list of local charities and work off their reconstructive and nerve-related surgeries by volunteering for the number of hours designated by the doctor. It takes away the financial burden of medical care and while hundreds of hours of community service may sound like a lot, patients are encouraged to get friends and family to pitch in with the hours.
“We’ve eliminated a lot of the administrative hassle that’s associated with healthcare,” Aguila explains. “We’ve lowered the cost of healthcare. We’ve made it fair for everybody involved. Nobody loses.”