Some public hospitals are using this approach to close budget gaps left by uninsured patients:

Through a new patient-hospitality service, Jackson is laying down the red carpet for affluent or privately insured patients, especially those in Latin America and the Caribbean, whose wealth or generous insurance coverage gives them choices on where to spend their health-care dollars.

Jackson officials hope that overseas patients, eager to see the University of Miami medical faculty who serve as Jackson’s doctors, will pump an extra $100 million into hospital coffers annually and help close the gap uninsured patients leave in Jackson’s budget. Last year, Jackson wrote off $85 million of the $493.5 million worth of charity care it provided.