Billing FAQ  

When will I receive a statement?

Bills for services rendered are sent only after all insurances have been billed.

Can you mail me a copy of my itemized bill?

Yes, you can request an itemized bill by calling Patient Financial Services at 541-274-6221.

What is my current account balance?

You can request this information by calling Patient Financial Services at 541-274-6221.

Why have I received a statement in the mail?

The hospital sends a bill to help you know as much as possible about the status of your bill and the status of payments. Please review your statement to ensure that charges submitted to insurance and payments received are accurate. The hospital will continue to send you a statement for 3 months or until your account balance reaches zero.

What if my account has been referred to a collection agency?

Accounts are referred to collection when the balances due remain unpaid. The hospital sends billing statements and collection letters for up to 120 days allowing you to either pay the account or establish a payment plan. You will be notified in writing when any account is going to be transferred and you will be allowed sufficient time to take corrective action.

I don't understand my statement. What is all this terminology?

Billing for healthcare services often includes several different types of clinical and financial terminology. However, we are committed to making our bills as patient-friendly as possible including explanations for our terminology. Please refer to our Glossary included in this Web site as part of our Patient Accounts Center. Also, Patient Financial Services Representatives can help you with your questions about services and their charges. They may also reference medical staff for procedure or test explanations. Please contact Patient Financial Services by e-mail or by telephone.

Why do I get a separate bill for hospital services?

In order to send a claim to the insurance company, the hospital is required to file a separate claim for each inpatient or outpatient visit. In general outpatient visits on the same day are combined to a single claim. This can only be done if the same physician ordered the services. If your physician's office is a hospital department the billing of the professional services on the same account are also included. If you were an inpatient you will receive a separate bill for the hospital services and another bill for professional services provided during your hospital stay.

Does my balance with Sky Lakes Medical Center's 'hospital bill' include the physician bill?

Yes, if your physician's office is a hospital department.

Who can I contact with questions about my statement?

Patient Financial Services Representatives are available to help you via email and over the phone with any questions or concerns you may have about your bill.

Will the hospital bill my insurance company for me?

Yes. The primary, and if applicable secondary, insurance coverage you present at the time of registration will be billed.

Will the hospital file my worker's compensation claims for me?

Yes. The hospital will bill worker's compensation insurance and make all appropriate first report of injury information available to the liability carrier and third party administrators.

Why is everything so expensive?

The hospital strives to provide our patients with the very best medical care utilizing the latest technology. Our fee schedules reflect the cost of delivering the level of health care that our patients desire and deserve. Our prices are driven by the increasing costs associated with delivering high quality health care.

There are charges on my bill that I did not have or I dispute. What should I do?

Please contact Patient Financial Services and an inquiry will be sent to the audit team who will review your medical record to ensure the documentation substantiates the charge. If the charge is supported, the nurse auditor will inform the time the drug was administered and the initials of the nurse. If the charge is not supported, it will be credited from the claim and an adjusted claim submitted.

It has been several weeks since my hospital visit, why haven't I received a bill?

We will always bill the medical insurance on file first. Once the insurance has paid their portion, any remaining amount will be billed to you. If your insurance company pays in full you may not even receive a statement and you will only have your explanation of benefits from your insurance carrier to refer to.

I received a statement, but all it shows are totals. Can I have an itemized bill?

Yes. Itemized bills are available upon request.

How do I know that the amount you are billing me is the correct amount?

Once your insurance carrier pays their portion of the bill, they will send you an explanation of benefits (EOB) to show how the claim was paid. You can compare your EOBs (both professional and technical EOB) to your hospital statement. How the carrier paid the claim is based on its contract with the hospital and its contract with you. If you feel the insurance company should have paid a higher amount, please contact the company directly for resolution.

My hospital statement had an adjustment amount. What was that for?

Insurance carriers negotiate hospital charge discounts. The amount of the discount is specific to each carrier. When the carrier pays its portion, the contractual allowance is posted to reflect the true amount due from the patient. Contractual adjustment can be either a deduction or addition to the amount of actual charges billed.

My account has been referred to an outside collection agency. Can I view my statement?

If your account has been referred to an outside collection agency, you must contact that agency to see all the activities being credited to your account. The hospital will also keep the details of your bad debt payments but will no longer produce statements on balances due.

I went to the emergency department with a stomachache. The registration representative could not tell me how much this would cost me until I saw the physician. She wouldn't say if my insurance would cover the bill. Why couldn't I find this out before seeing the physician and incurring a bill?

When someone visits the Emergency Department it is implied that he/she has a medical emergency. Very specific regulations require that we first determine the extent of the medical emergency before we can discuss any financial questions. This means the triage nurse and the emergency medicine physician must first see the patient. We appreciate that this restriction can be frustrating; however, the regulations are there to ensure everyone who visits the Emergency Department will be seen regardless of their ability to pay.

What is the difference between an observation and inpatient category on my bill?

Your physician determines whether you will be categorized as observation or inpatient. Insurance plans pay differently for each category. The hospital must abide by the physician order and bill accordingly. Your status can change based on your clinical conditions and results from diagnostic tests (according to the physician's order) to inpatient usually within 24 hour if an inpatient stay if necessary.