Hospitals And Insurance
Will my insurance company cover my planned hospital visit?
Your insurance company may cover a planned hospital visit. It depends on your policy and it depends on the reason for the hospitalization as the insurance company interprets it. Insurance coverages vary between companies; coverages vary between policies within a company. Even though your doctor will usually check with your insurance company before planning an admission for you through the hospital, you should also take the responsibility to verify for yourself that your insurance company will honor the physicians order for admission to hospital.
Will my insurance company cover my emergency hospital visit?
Usually, insurance companies will cover emergency visits. Again, it's dependent upon the reason for your presence in the emergency room. Many insurance companies, if not all, will actually review the circumstances of your visit, view the medical records made during that visit, and if they are of the belief that it's fruitless or unnecessary, they will not cover it. If they believe that it was proper, they surely will cover the cost.
Will my insurance company cover all the parts of my hospital visit?
It really depends on the insurance policy you have as to whether your hospital visit is totally covered. Most policies today require that patients pay some portion of the bill, and that's called a co-pay. Some policies have deductibles, which means that you will pay the first number of dollars up to the amount of that deductibility. Again, that's something that you, as the patient, take responsibility for yourself; you have to check so you know exactly where the boundaries are of your co-pay and of your deductibles before you go to the hospital.
Will the hospital bill my insurance company for me?
It really depends on your policy, but most hospitals, as a courtesy to you and to expedite the financial process, will bill the insurance company on your behalf. Please understand that when you are admitted to a hospital, you will be asked to sign a form taking responsibility for any payments due to the hospital after the insurance company pays its portion of the bill. This information is in your health care policy, in your insurance policy, and it's something you need to check on again before you go to the hospital.
Should I notify my insurance company when I am hospitalized?
Some insurance plans require that you notify them when you're hospitalized, and if they do require that you notify them, you should absolutely comply to do that. If you fail to do so, they may deny the charges for your hospitalization. Again, it's very important for you to become familiar with your insurance policy and what your responsibilities are under that insurance policy.
How will I know if my insurance company has paid my hospital bill?
You'll receive a bill from the hospital, and if the hospital has billed your insurance company, it will be so noted, and you'll be instructed not to pay the bill until the insurance company has had a chance to process the bill submitted by the hospital and pay its portion of the care for you. Once that's done, you will then receive a second bill from the hospital that will identify what amounts of money, if any, are your responsibility to pay the hospital.
What do I do if I disagree with my insurance company's payment portion?
All insurance companies are required by law to have an appeal process and that's usually something you can identify by calling customer service of your insurance company. They will most likely request you either meet with a representative or submit an appeal in writing and that will initiate the process.
Where can I find professional help with my insurance claim?
If you are not satisfied with your insurance company response, you may want to seek legal counsel and if you do, you should look for an attorney who specializes in health care, bad faith insurance. They are called plaintiff attorneys because those are the people who represent your best interest.
