Paying To Park At A Hospital: Instrumental In Hospital Functioning - A Rebuttal by Enyjé Sandoz

 

Enyjé Sandoz

SPCH 104-1679

Debate Rebuttal

    First and foremost, I would like to address the assertions regarding the Constitution. As my opponent mentioned, in the preamble of the Constitution, our leaders vowed to promote the general welfare of the constituents of the United States of America. The equivocation about the claims of parking fees equates to a lack of care baffles me. I fail to see how implementing parking fees translates to a lack of care and a breach of the Constitution, as the sole duty of a hospital is to provide care for its patients. Hospitals have a legal obligation to assess all patients (whether insured or uninsured) to determine the severity of their ailment and treat all patients (no matter their insurance status) experiencing life-threatening emergencies, according to the Patient Advocate Foundation. Parking fees cultivate a more efficient and supportive environment, benefiting patients, visitors, and employees.

    My opponent's first contention is parking fees inflict financial burdens on patients and staff members. She states in the first subpoint that people have opted to receive healthcare due to its cost, and parking fees can further present an obstacle. To claim that parking fees may dissuade people from seeking medical attention is inaccurate. In a 2019 study, the National Center for Health Statistics concluded, "people aged 1–64 years living below 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL) were the most likely to have a hospital stay in the past year compared with those living at higher income levels" (CDC). To explain, hospitals saw patients below the poverty line more than those above the poverty line. Therefore, a hospital's parking fees nor the patients' financial status deterred them from seeking medical treatment.

    My opponent's second subpoint was about the cost of parking. It is no secret that hospital parking fees can cost from $1 to $20 and differ per hospital; hospitals aim to help patients and visitors. For example, at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles, "Parking in the Visitor Parking Garage is free on the day of your child's discharge." For CHLA to offer free parking to parents on the day of their child's discharge can eliminate stress; it also illustrates how a hospital such as CHLA is mindful of the cost of parking, which shows they care for their patients and visitors. To continue, some hospitals provide free parking for cancer patients. According to PBS, "Of the 63 hospitals, including those where parking is free for cancer patients, 54% offered free parking for chemotherapy and 68% for radiation treatment." Thus, they will incur more costs than other patients. Providing free parking for cancer patients shows consideration for patients who frequent hospitals often due to their diagnoses.

    The third subpoint outlined by my adversary pertained to employees having to pay for parking. While it may seem bizarre that employees have to pay to attend work, hospitals spend billions of dollars on employee wages and benefits. According to the American Hospital Association, "Hospitals’ labor costs increased by more than $42.5 billion between 2021 and 2023 to a total of $839 billion, accounting for nearly 60% of the average hospital’s expenses" (American Hospital Association). Wages reckoned as a substantial expense for hospitals demonstrate that employees having to pay for parking is out of necessity, not due to greed or intentional impositions. Therefore, I state the absolution of hospitals and any claims of financial implications due to parking fees.

    My opponent's second contention is despite paying to park in the parking lot at a hospital as opposed to the side of a street or a free parking lot, patients, visitors, and employees are still at risk of being victims of crimes. In her first subpoint, she fixates on crimes occurring in hospital parking lots. I cannot nor do I seek to defend these crimes, as no one should ever face any level of victimization. I also agree with her assertion that parking fees do not diminish the crime rate in hospital parking structures. However, hospitals have taken precautions to cease crime in their parking lots. In the Bay Area of California, Kaiser Permanente hospitals are taking security matters into their own hands by installing undisclosed surveillance technology in their parking structures to help mitigate crime. Different hospitals have installed different amounts of undisclosed cameras. In addition to cameras, these hospitals have also installed automated license recorder technology, which records the license plates of each car within their structures. This information is forwarded to the local police departments for keeping, as reported by Oakland Privacy.

    Moreover, some healthcare facilities implement AI (artificial intelligence) into their security protocol, as highlighted by Health IT News. While capturing surveillance footage has not been an issue, as hospitals have hundreds of cameras, healthcare facilities do not have the human power to monitor all the operating cameras. Therefore, they are utilizing AI to assist them with tracking the footage, which should improve the efficiency of security within a hospital and its parking structures. As a result, they are taking a proactive approach to ensuring the security of their staff, patients, and visitors.

    Parking fees at hospitals appear to stir some controversy. Many people believe that parking fees are a ploy for hospitals to receive additional money on top of their earned income from insurance companies, surgeries, etc. Nonetheless, hospital parking fees improve the overall hospital experience. As stated by LAZ Parking, hospital parking fees optimize availability in the parking lot, "Charging for parking serves as a powerful deterrent for non-essential visitors and staff members seeking free parking spaces. With a fee in place, those who genuinely need access to the hospital's services are more likely to secure parking closer to the medical facilities." Other advantages to parking fees include prioritizing families and patients, efficient staff management, streamlined operations, and funding improvements.

    To declare hospitals immoral and unethical due to parking fees is absurd. It discredits the many lives saved daily at these institutions. Parking fees achieve an environment that supports its patients, visitors, and employees. For one, parking fees do not discourage low-income patients from seeking treatment, as they accounted for more hospital visits than higher-income patients in 2019. Secondly, hospitals offer discounted rates or validations in extenuating circumstances, such as for cancer patients or parents on the discharge day of their child. Furthermore, we can surmise hospitals charge their employees for parking as a need. Lastly, while crime is rampant in parking lots, hospitals strive to create a safer environment by installing license plate readers and utilizing AI (artificial intelligence) to monitor surveillance footage.

Work Cited

Cushman, Andy. “5 Reasons Why Hospitals Should Implement Parking Fees.” 5 Reasons Why Hospitals Should Implement Parking Fees, LAZ Parking, 9 Aug. 2023, www.lazparking.com/our-company/about/news/2023/10/17/5-reasons-why-hospitals-should-implement-parking-fees. 

Oakland Privacy. “Kaiser Permanente Hospitals Have Undisclosed Surveillance Equipment in Parking Lots.” Indybay, East Bay, 14 Nov. 2023, www.indybay.org/newsitems/2023/11/14/18860375.php.

Pilarski, Raquel Rutledge and Karen. “Former Parking Valet Was Waiting in Froedtert Garage to Attack Nurse Practitioner, According to Homicide Charges.” Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2020, www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2019/01/29/suspect-charged-homicide-nurse-practitioner/2713794002/. 

Ritzel, Rebecca J. “Many Cancer Patients Pay Dearly for Hospital Parking.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 18 May 2021, www.pbs.org/newshour/health/many-cancer-patients-pay-dearly-for-hospital-parking.

“Costs of Caring: AHA.” American Hospital Association, American Hospital Association, May 2024, www.aha.org/costsofcaring.

“Healthcare Facilities Are Deploying Intelligent Video Surveillance Solutions to Help Improve Overall Efficiency.” Healthcare IT News, Hanwha Vision, 14 Feb. 2024,www.healthcareitnews.com/news/healthcare-facilities-are-deploying-intelligent-video-surveillance-solutions-help-improve.

“Hospitalization - Health, United States.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 June 2023, www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/topics/hospitalization.htm.

“Parking at the Sunset Campus.” Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, www.chla.org/your-visit/parking-sunset-campus. 

“Uninsured and Facing an Emergency? Know Your Rights!” Patient Advocate Foundation, 12 Apr. 2024, www.patientadvocate.org/explore-our-resources/preventing-medical-debt/uninsured-and-facing-an-emergency-know-your-rights/.