Billing FAQ | Hendrick Health

Frequently Asked Billing Questions

Should I bring my insurance card with me to the hospital?

Yes, the information on your insurance card is needed for the hospital to file a claim with your insurance company or companies. When you register, we will ask for information about your insurance coverage and have you sign a few forms. This registration process goes much faster when you bring your insurance information with you.

Do I need to let my insurance company know that I'm going to be in the hospital? And what will they cover?

We encourage you to check with your insurance company or your employer about this. Because there are so many types of insurance plans, it is difficult for us to tell you whether or not you need prior approval or notification for your hospital stay. Contact your insurance company or your employer with specific questions about what is or is not covered by your insurance plan.

Will Hendrick send my hospital bill to my insurance company(ies), or will I have to do it?

We will gladly file your bill with any insurance companies that you have authorized. Just make sure you give us complete information on those companies, including addresses, policy numbers, etc. Also, when you preregister, be sure to sign an authorization form that permits us to file your bill with these companies.

How do I follow up with my insurance company?

Before you call, have available your insurance card, date of service, facility name, original billed amount, patient name and claim number if applicable.

Obtain satisfactory status of account. If paid, ask when and to whom. Note this information and who you talked to at the insurance company.

If the bill has not been paid, find out when is the anticipated time frame of payment, and ask if they need anything from you. (You may need to contact the clinic or the Medical Record Department at the hospital.)

If the bill isn't paid in the stated time frame, follow up with the insurance company again and, if necessary, request to speak to a supervisor.

How will I know if my insurance company has paid my bill?

After your insurance company has paid its portion of your hospital bill, we will send you a statement of account. This statement will indicate payments and adjustments that have been posted to your account and any balance you are required to pay. You may also receive an explanation of benefits from your insurance company.

How long will it take to get things settled with the insurance company?

Under Texas law, an insurance carrier has 30-45 days from receipt of claim to make a payment. We work with government payers indefinitely to resolve your claim and with commercial insurance carriers for up to 60 days. If the commercial claim has not been resolved in that time, then as you agreed upon at admissions, you will ultimately be responsible to resolve the balance.

I received a notice that my insurance company has paid on my bill, but I can't understand how they calculated their payment amount. Do you know?

If we have received any such information from your insurance company, we'll be glad to share it with you. However, for answers to any questions about insurance payments, deductibles, or co-payments, you generally need to check with your insurance company.

What billing or insurance information will I receive from Hendrick?

You may request a copy of your itemized statement; otherwise, after insurance has paid, we will provide you with a monthly statement of your account.

I don't understand some of the items on my Hendrick bill. Can you explain them to me?
If you feel you were charged for something that you did not receive or use, please contact the business office. If you have any questions concerning tests or procedures you received, please contact your physician.

Will Hendrick accept monthly payments on the portion I owe?

Yes, monthly payments are acceptable, but they must be based on an approved payment plan. We will be glad to discuss the arrangements with you, so that the plan is mutually satisfactory for all involved.

Does Hendrick report bad debts to a credit bureau?

Yes, if your account goes unattended for an unreasonable amount of time, it will be referred to an outside collection agency. If it is not resolved with the collection agency, they will report it to a credit bureau.

How can I obtain financial assistance to cover my bill?

Hendrick does have a financial assistance department. They will be willing to assist you in whatever way possible to meet your financial responsibility. There are a variety of programs and funding sources available depending upon circumstances and special needs.

When do I become responsible for my bill?

You are legally responsible for your bill at the time you receive services from the hospital. We will work with the insurance companies and other third party payers on your behalf for a reasonable amount of time. If the insurance carrier is not responsive, you will ultimately be responsible to resolve the balance.

Why am I getting bills from physicians?

Each physician who provides professional services will send you a separate bill from his or her office. These physicians will include: your own physician, other physicians who conducted tests and procedures, consulting physicians chosen by your primary physician to read and interpret test results. These physicians may include specialists in anesthesiology, cardiology, emergency medicine, nuclear medicine, pathology, radiology, or urodynamics. You will be responsible for paying these bills as well as your Hendrick bill. If you have questions about these bills, please call the physician's office listed on the billing statement.

I recently received a bill from a doctor I don't remember seeing during my stay. Why am I being charged?

If you have certain tests or treatments in the hospital, you may receive bills from physicians you did not see in person. Those bills are for doctors who interpret those test results and can include pathologists, radiologists, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, emergency room physicians and other specialists. You will receive separate bills from each professional.

Is the hospital required to provide a list of their charges to the public?

Effective January 1, 2019, hospitals will officially be required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services [CMS] to publish a list of their standard prices online in a machine-readable format. Hendrick Medical Center has complied with this requirement by providing a link to our list of all standard charges from our chargemaster, which also includes a list of DRG inpatient procedure average prices. This link may be found listed under Billing - ‘Important Documents and Policies’ section.

If you have any further questions, please contact Hendrick Business Services at 325-670-2437 or 1-800-670-0412.