Understanding Hospital Bills and Insurance Claims

At Meriter Hospital...

• You will be treated with dignity. Everyone is treated with respect, regardless of ability to pay.
  
• We will bill your health plan, including Medicare and Medicaid, on your behalf for payment of hospital services. If you have more than one health plan we will also bill the additional carriers.
  
• You will receive timely statements. You will receive notice of when we have filed a claim to your health plan and you will be informed about the status of that claim. We will send you a statement after your health plan has paid, to notify you of any remaining balance.
  
• You will have access to a Customer Service Representative or Financial Counselor for any billing questions or payment issues. They can assist you or family members with questions concerning insurance benefits, hospital charges, payment options, price quotes for services and applications for our financial assistance program. If you require the services of an interpreter please let us know and we will arrange to have one available for you.

You can help us by...

• Providing us with complete health insurance information at the time of registration. Please have all insurance cards and authorization forms available. We will ask you to sign a notice that will authorize us to release information to your insurance company and assign payments to the hospital.
  
• Understanding and complying with the requirements of your health plan. You should be familiar with your benefits, obtain proper authorizations for services, submit referral or claim forms, and complete a "coordination of benefits" form if required by your health plan.
  
• Responding promptly to requests you receive from your health plan. While we will attempt to provide all necessary information and paperwork to your health plan, sometimes a response is required from you to resolve issues related to your account or insurance coverage. If your health plan has not issued a payment within a reasonable period of time and has not responded to our attempts to resolve payment matters on your behalf, the balance owed may become your responsibility.
  
• Contacting us if you have questions or concerns about a bill. Please know that bills you receive from Meriter Hospital are for hospital services only. Physicians bill separately for their services. So, the best number to call is always the number on the bill in question. If you have questions about coverage of services, you should first check your health plan book or call the customer service phone number on your insurance card for more information.
  
• Making timely payments on your portion of the bill. Payment for your hospital bill is ultimately your responsibility, with the exception of approved Medicare, Medicaid, CHAMPUS and HMO services. We may ask that you pay at the time of service or prior to discharge if you have a deductible, co-payment or other self-pay amount due. Also, we may ask that you pay if you do not have insurance coverage for your hospital services. For your convenience we accept cash, personal checks, money order and credit cards including Master Card, Visa and Discover. We also offer our secure online Bill Pay Service, and extended payment options are available.
  
• Letting us know if you anticipate problems paying your portion of the bill. If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please let us know as soon as possible. A financial counselor can present you with payment alternatives that may be applicable including extended payments, government programs and financial assistance considerations. To apply for government or hospital financial assistance programs, some personal and financial information is required. To learn more, call our Financial Counselors. Their contact information is located in the Contact Us section.

8/25/2008