Financial Policy
FINANCIAL POLICY
Updated August 2022
We are pleased that you have chosen us as your healthcare provider. To avoid any misunderstanding and ensure timely payment for services, it is important that you understand your financial responsibilities with respect to your health care. We require all patients to sign our Authorization and Consent To Treatment Form before receiving medical services. That form confirms that you understand that the healthcare services provided are necessary and appropriate and explains your financial responsibility with respect to services received as set forth in this policy.
PATIENT RESPONSIBILITY
Patients or their legal representative are ultimately responsible for all charges for services provided. We expect your payment at the time of your visit for all charges owed for that visit as well as any prior balance. When the insurance plan provides immediate information regarding patient responsibility, we may request payment for your share when you schedule and/or when you present for your appointment. As a convenience to you, we can save a credit card on file to settle your account when you check in or out. You may receive an estimate for your patient responsibility prior to or at the time of your service. If there is a difference in the estimated patient responsibility, we will send you a statement for any balance due. If a credit balance results after insurance pays, we will apply the credit to any open balance on your account. If there are no open balances, we will issue a refund.
If you have an Annual Wellness Visit or Physical/Preventative Exam, but need or request additional services, we may bill you for those additional services. All services for patients who are minors will be billed to the custodial parent or legal guardian. If you are uninsured and demonstrate financial need and complete the required paperwork, financial assistance may be available. If you have a large balance, a payment plan may be available.
INSURANCE
We ask all patients to provide their insurance card (if applicable) and proof of identification (such as a photo ID or driver’s license) at every visit. If you do not provide current proof of insurance, you may be billed as an uninsured patient (i.e., self-pay). We accept assignment of benefits for many third party carriers, so in most cases, we will submit charges for services rendered to your insurance carrier. You are expected to pay the entire amount determined by your insurance to be the patient’s responsibility. Keep in mind that our fees are for physician services only; you may receive additional bills from laboratory, radiology or other diagnostic related providers.
You are responsible for understanding the limitations of your insurance policy, including:
- If a referral or authorization is necessary for office visits. (If it is required and you do not have the appropriate referral or authorization, you may be billed as an uninsured patient).
- What prescribed testing (lab, radiology, etc.) is covered under your insurance policy. (If you choose to have non-covered testing, we will require full payment at the time of your visit.)
- Any co-payment, coinsurance or deductible that may apply.
NO SURPRISES ACT / GOOD FAITH ESTIMATE OF CHARGES
If you do not have insurance or are not using insurance to pay for your care, you have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost. Under the NO SURPRISE ACT, health care providers must give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services. This does not pertain to government provided insurance carriers as they must be filed and cannot be used optionally.
- You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
- Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least one (1) business day before your medical service or item.
- You can also ask your healthcare provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
- If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
- Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-888-774-8428.
CARD-ON-FILE PROCESS
You may be requested to provide a credit card when you check-in for your visit. The information will be held securely until your insurance has paid their share and notified us of any additional amount owed by you. At that time, we will notify you that your outstanding balance will be charged to your credit card five (5) days from the date of the notice. You may call our office if you have a question about your balance. We will send you a receipt for the charge.
This “Card-on-File” program simplifies payment for you and eases the administrative burden on your provider’s office. It reduces paperwork and ultimately helps lower the cost of healthcare. Your statements will be available via your patient portal and our Customer Support line is available to answer any questions about the balance due. If you have any questions about the card-on-file payment method, please let us know.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
Outstanding Balances. After your visit, we will send you a statement for any outstanding balances. We send out statements when the balance becomes the patient’s responsibility.
All outstanding balances are due on receipt. If you come for another visit and have an outstanding balance, we will request payment for both the new visit and your outstanding balance. Your outstanding balances can be paid conveniently via our patient portal.
We may add a finance charge of 1.33% of your outstanding account balance every month if you do not pay your account in full.
If you have an outstanding balance for more than ninety (90) days, you may be referred to an outside collection agency and charged a collection fee of up to 30% of the balance owed, in addition to the balance owed. In addition, if you have unpaid delinquent accounts, we may discharge you as a patient and/or you may not be allowed to schedule any additional services unless special arrangements have been made.
Additional information about our financial policies is available on our website at PremierMed.com.
Thank you for choosing us as your healthcare provider!