PATIENT FINANCIAL POLICIES

At Mercy Medical Center, we believe that access to necessary health care services should not be based on ability to pay. That belief is grounded in our Catholic heritage and history of service to this community. Mercy Medical Center has an obligation to seek payment for services—through fair and respectful billing and collection practices—so we are able to continue to serve our community.

But we realize that many people, whether they are employed or unemployed, either cannot afford health insurance or do not have enough insurance to cover their bills.
Mercy has payment options and financial assistance that helps to ensure necessary health care is available to any person who needs it.

Mercy Medical Center realizes that the cost of health care is a concern for our patients. We offer the following information to help you understand our financial policies and aid you in planning for payment. Any member of our patient financial services staff will be glad to discuss payment arrangements with you or your designated responsible party.
You are encouraged to ask us any questions relating to the services you may receive.
 
HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES (FULL OR PARTIAL COVERAGE)
As a courtesy, Mercy Medical Center will file your insurance claim for you. Therefore, at registration, you will be asked to present your health insurance card and sign a form assigning insurance benefits to the hospital. It is your responsibility to ensure that all pre-approval requirements are met. If applicable, you will need to present the appropriate referral form from your primary care physician.

Out-of-Pocket Costs
Most types of insurance do not pay the entire cost of health care services. They usually require the patient to contribute to the cost of the services in one or more of the following ways:

Deductible: A deductible is a specific dollar amount a patient must pay for covered services before the insurer pays benefits under the policy. A deductible usually applies to all covered services under the policy, although in some health plans certain services (like preventive or well-child care) are not subject to the deductible. Sometimes deductibles apply to only specific types of services, like hospital inpatient care or durable medical equipment.
Co-payment: A co-payment is a per-service deductible. Health plans will often require a co-payment for physician office visits or prescription drugs.
Coinsurance: Coinsurance is like a deductible or co-payment, except the patient pays a percentage of the cost, rather than a specific dollar amount.

Explanation of Benefits
Your insurer will normally send you an “Explanation of Benefits” when it processes a claim on your behalf. This document will be clearly labeled as an Explanation of Benefits and will prominently state that “This is Not a Bill.”
The Explanation of Benefits provides a summary of the charges that were submitted to the health insurer for payment. It will identify the billed amount, the amount that was paid on your behalf, and amounts (a deductible, co-payment or coinsurance) that are your responsible to pay under your policy.

Because hospital and physician bills are normally separate, you will receive separate Explanations of Benefits for each type of service.
 
BILLS FROM PROVIDERS OTHER THAN MERCY MEDICAL CENTER
The following physician groups have arrangements with Mercy Medical Center to provide additional professional services to patients. The provider name is listed first, followed by the name and telephone number of the company handling their billing. These providers will bill separately for their professional fees. These bills will be in ADDITION to your Mercy bill, and will be mailed separately
.
Treasure Valley Emergency Room Physicians
1-800-355-2470

Practice Management/MRI Mobile (Radiology Services)
208-472-8162

Diagnostic Pathology (Laboratory Services)
208-472-8110

Anesthesiology Consultants of Idaho
866-284-5033

Although the physician groups listed above have arrangements with Mercy Medical Center, they are not necessarily participating members of your specific insurance plan. To ensure payment, please verify that all physician groups that you may utilize are covered by your insurance company.
 
YOUR MERCY MEDICAL CENTER BILL
You will receive a statement of charges from Mercy Medical Center that will include the fees for the actual treatment/service you received. It will be mailed in approximately three to four days after treatment. This is a statement of charges, and not a bill.
 
PAYMENT METHODS
For all patients who must personally pay all or part of their health care bills, we accept cash, check, MasterCard, VISA, American Express and Discover. You will be expected to pay any deductible, co-payment, and/or any charges not covered by your insurance company. 
     
THIRD-PARTY LIABILITY
For patients treated for injuries from an automobile or other accident caused by another party, Mercy Medical Center will, as a courtesy, forward an itemized bill to your attorney (upon written request from your attorney), and will bill any liability insurance you request. However, each patient is responsible for making payment arrangements regarding these accounts. Mercy Medical Center will not be involved with liability disputes, except as required by Medicare and Medicaid.
 
MINOR CHILDREN OF SEPARATED/DIVORCED PARENTS
The parent who consents to the treatment of a minor child is responsible for payment of the services rendered. Mercy Medical Center will not be involved with separation/divorce disputes.

PAYMENT OPTIONS AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
At Mercy Medical Center, we are proud to help our community by making health care accessible to everyone. To ensure that we are able to continue meeting the health care needs of this community by employing talented health professionals and acquiring life-saving medical technology, we rely on receiving payment for our services from patients and their insurance companies.

Unfortunately, the need for health care and hospital services is often unplanned, and some patients may not have sufficient insurance, or may be unable to pay their bill. This is why we have a number of flexible payment plans designed to help you pay your charges over a specified period of time.

We’ll be glad to arrange flexible payment options to help make meeting your obligations easier. We’ll also be happy to assist you in finding out if you are eligible for financial assistance that can cover part or up to 100% of your hospital bill.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
In today’s economic environment, some employers do not offer health insurance to employees. Many people are unable to afford health insurance on their own. We want to assure you that receiving care at Mercy Medical Center is a medical decision, not a financial decision.

If you believe you will need to take advantage of our Financial Assistance program, we’ll be happy to work with you. We’ll help you fill out an application to help you determine if you are eligible for federal, state or county government health care assistance. This application will ask you for certain financial information, such as your income, that is required by government-sponsored health programs to determine if you are eligible for financial assistance. You may also be eligible for Mercy Medical Center’s own assistance plan, or other sources of financial help that can pay all or a significant portion of your hospital bill.

To talk with a Financial Account Representatives for assistance or questions please contact our Patient Financial Services Department at 208-463-5538 or 208-463-5497.

Thank you for choosing Mercy Medical Center.

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