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Billing FAQ
Will my insurance pay my bill?
Due to the differences between insurance policies, you should check with your insurance to see if the scheduled services will be covered under your policy and if it requires any pre- certification notice to your insurance company. It is extremely important to contact your insurance before the service so any questions or notifications can be resolved. If you are unsure about what to ask your insurance, please ask for help from Patient Financial Services.
Should I contact my insurance company before coming to the hospital?
That depends on the services you are going to receive and your particular insurance policy and benefits. In general, it is a good idea to review your insurance policy and benefits before receiving medical services. In some cases for instance, if you are coming in for laboratory tests or a chest x-ray you may not need to notify your insurance company. However, for many other services such as an inpatient admission, ambulatory surgery or any invasive diagnostic test/procedure your insurance company may require that you notify them in advance. Lack of such notification could result in reduced benefits. However, some insurance carriers particularly Medicare do not require prior notification. Some insurance carriers require a referral from your primary care physician to a specialist, except outside your PPO network.
Will the hospital accept Medicare and not charge me a co-pay?
JSMC is a Medicare contracted facility and accepts Medicare. However, by contract we must bill and collect on all co-pays and deductibles. Medicare currently does not reimburse hospitals for all costs, therefore JSMC must collect all deductible and co-pays. Any provider not collecting co-pays must have a waiver from Medicare and must not collect any co-pays from anyone. Any facility without a waiver must attempt to collect all co-pays from patients to be compliant with Medicare. JSMC does not have any waivers at this time.
I can't pay my whole bill at once. Can I make payment arrangements?
To make payment arrangements, call our Patient Financial Services Department at (270) 887-0328. One of our Customer Service Representatives will work with you.
Whom do I call when I cannot pay my bill?
If you are unable to pay your bill in full at one time, please call Patient Financial Services and we can set a payment plan to help pay your balance. If you are unable to pay your bill off in a short time, JSMC has two programs that can help patients pay their bill. They are Kentucky Hospital Charity Program and the JSMC Charity Program.
Why are my bills not itemized, and where can I get an itemized copy?
We submit the charges to your insurance company on the required form listing the charges or services. Once your insurance pays, a statement for any remaining balance is sent with the charges or summary charges (if too numerous to fit on one page) plus payments. A patient can always request an itemized bill from Patient Financial Services at any time by calling 270-887-0328. Kentucky State Law requires a hospital to provide a patient an itemized bill within 30 days of request. However, JSMC usually will send your request within a short period of time.
Why do I have so many different accounts and account numbers?
Insurance companies require hospitals to bill each visit separately except for therapies for which we bill monthly. We are required to keep separate documentation for each visit to comply with regulation. Therefore, we maintain separate visit accounts for each patient encounter.
When an Inpatient is admitted, does the hospital provide any financial information?
We have a representative who visits patients during business hours, Monday-Friday when they show no insurance listed on their account. The representative will talk to the patient to see if they can qualify for Medicaid, KHCP (above) or need to be referred for the JSMC Charity Program. The representative also will provide an informational sheet explaining the programs that are available.
What is the hospital bill for? Is this my only bill for these medical services, or can I expect to receive others?
When you receive a hospital bill for services from hospital departments, the bill includes many costs: facility charges, equipment, supplies, nursing services and other support personnel, etc. You may expect to receive bills for medical services from the hospital as well as from the physician and/or other providers who supplied medical services.
What other bills should I expect? Can you tell me about them?
As a result of government regulations, most hospital-based physicians and specialists bill for their services separately from the hospital. The separate bill will be from your personal physician, surgeon or other independent supplier of medical services. The chart below gives examples of medical services that require the attention of a physician who will send a separate bill for payment.
Healthcare Services Billing Information
BILLING ENTITY PHONE
Associated Pathologists 800-366-5847
Christian Co. Ambulance 270-890-0231
Christian Co. Anesthesia 270-885-1640
Convenient Care 270-887-6813
Pennyrile Radiology, PSC 270-886-6371
Pennyrile Collection, Inc. 270-885-6828
Yellow Ambulance Service, Inc. 800-544-4511
What is the best way to be certain that my insurance is paying its share of these costs?
The best way is to present your insurance card and all insurance information at the time of registration. Usually, a new account is set up for each visit to the hospital. This allows your insurance company to track any deductibles and your co-payments. If your card is not presented and the insurance does not cover these costs as a result, you will be responsible for full payment.
| If you have: | You will also receive a bill from: |
| Emergency room service | Emergency Physicians of Hopkinsville |
| X-rays taken | The radiologist |
| Certain lab tests | The pathologist |
| Surgery | The anesthesiologist & surgeon & pathologist |
| Visit by a physician | Your personal physician or the hospitalist |
| EKG | Cardiology Group |
Why didn’t my insurance pay charges for a routine check-up?
Most insurance companies, including Medicare, will not pay for routine physical check-ups. If you have screening tests, such as a chest x-ray, blood sugar test, a PAP smear or other similar screening test, your insurance may not pay. You should contact your insurance carrier if you have questions about your coverage.
Do you bill my insurance carrier or must I notify them?
JSMC will bill your insurance company for you. Due to the numerous differences in insurance benefits available, the hospital does not guarantee that your insurance will pay. If your insurance does not pay within 60 days, you may be asked to pay the account balance. If you furnish complete information at registration, we will file your secondary insurance also.
Do you take credit cards or offer payment plans?
JSMC honors MasterCard & Visa. Convenient payment plans can also be arranged
Where can I pay my bill?
Payments may be mailed in or submitted directly to the hospital cashier in the main lobby during normal business hours. The registration department representative is available to receive payments at any other time in the hospital emergency room.
Where can I call if I have questions about my hospital bill?
You may call the patient billing department at (270) 887-0328, weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please be prepared to provide your account number (you will find this number at the top of any correspondence you receive from the billing office). If, at any time, you have a question regarding your hospital bill, do not hesitate to contact one of our Customer Service Representatives. They are eager to answer your questions and assist you in whatever manner they can.
How soon after I leave the hospital will I receive a bill?
You can expect a bill once we have received payment or denial of payment from your insurance company. If you are paying the bill yourself (that is, if you are not filing with an insurance provider) you should receive a bill within 10 days after you have received service. Self pay bills will be sent once the charges have been processed.
Why do I have to give my insurance information every time I visit the Medical Center?
We ask for your insurance information every time you visit to ensure that our records are accurate and up to date. Patients and/or employers change insurance carriers with great frequency. To process your bill quickly and accurately, we ask you for your insurance information on every visit. This gives us the opportunity to verify your insurance coverage and benefits.
I keep getting bills from you. Why don't you bill my insurance company?
JSMC’s patient billing department will send you letters 30, 60 and 90 days after the date of service. Please read this correspondence carefully, as it contains important information regarding the status of your account. If you are covered under an insurance policy or another party is responsible for your hospital bill, yet you receive a letter stating that you are responsible for the bill, contact a Customer Service Representative at (270) 887-0328. Please be prepared to provide your medical record number, which you will find at the top of the letter, and your insurance information. Your Customer Service Representative will reissue a bill to your insurance company.
I am also covered on my spouse's insurance policy. Will you send bills to both insurance companies?
JSMC’s Patient Financial Services will coordinate benefits for patients covered by more than one insurance Policy.
I just got a letter from a collection agency. Why?
As part of our normal billing process, we make several attempts to contact you to let you know what portion of your bill you are responsible for. We determine that amount after we have received payment or denial of payment from your insurance company. You may receive notice from a collection agency if, after repeated attempts to contact you, we have not heard from you or you have not set up suitable payment arrangements.
Will I be asked to make any payment when I come to JSMC?
Depending on the type of insurance and service you receive, you may be asked to pay your deductible and/or coinsurance at time of service.
How much is my deductible and coinsurance?
Your deductible and coinsurance amounts are determined by the insurance plan in which you are enrolled. This information should be included in your insurance benefits handbook. If you cannot find this information or have other questions, contact your insurance provider.
If I don't have any insurance, how do I know how much to pay? Whom do I pay?
If you have questions regarding the expected cost of your services at the Medical Center, contact a Financial Counselor at (270) 887-1234 or (270) 887-1332. The Financial Counselor will be able to give you an estimated cost of your hospital service. You may pay your hospital bill prior to service at the registration/admitting area. A receipt will be issued to you for your payment. Mastercard and Visa are accepted.
Do I need to bring anything with me when I come to the Medical Center?
In addition to anything your physician may ask you to bring in, please bring your insurance card and any other documents that will be useful in the registration and billing process. For example, you should bring in any referral or authorization form that your primary care physician has given you indicating the need for the services you will receive. If this is your first visit to JSMC, we ask that, in addition to your insurance card, you bring in a photo ID such as a driver’s license.
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