This specific con really ought to be illegal and it's becoming incredibly common to the point that I see it every time I'm at any medical facility now.
The exact statement you described is used: "Oh you won't hit your deductible yet so pay this lower cash price" and you are spot-on that it's a sly way for the facility to get more for the procedure by hoping the patient doesn't understand negotiated billing. And it works... almost every time I've seen it offered it's accepted.
Not to even mention the secondary effect that this causes the patient to not make progress towards burning their deductible so if they have more medical events that year they'll basically pay that amount AGAIN.
The exact statement you described is used: "Oh you won't hit your deductible yet so pay this lower cash price" and you are spot-on that it's a sly way for the facility to get more for the procedure by hoping the patient doesn't understand negotiated billing. And it works... almost every time I've seen it offered it's accepted.
Not to even mention the secondary effect that this causes the patient to not make progress towards burning their deductible so if they have more medical events that year they'll basically pay that amount AGAIN.