Sidney Regional Medical Center takes aim at helping patients with simplified billing

Sidney Regional Medical Center has taken an active approach to aiding their patients to better understand the “patient billing process.”

With recent system updates at SRMC, electronic patient medical records are now easier to access and increase the continuum of care, according to Evie Ranslem-Parson, director of public relations. This new, unified system increases the efficiency for patient billing.

As with most services, payments and co-pays are being collected at the time admission. The following outlines the patient billing process policies for SRMC:

What will be collected?

• Co-pays will be collected at the time of service for co-pay services from patients who have co-pay plans.

• High-deductible/co-insurance plans will be collected at the time of service for the amount that insurance will leave due to the patient for services that are not applicable to a co-pay or plans that do not have a co-pay.

How do we know what to collect?

Utilizing patient payment software an estimate is generated based on typical and customary charges. Patient specific insurance information is also provided to determine this amount due at the time of service.

Payment options:

• Payment in full

• Interest Free Term Payment Plans – maximum of 6-month term

• Pay in full with an extended-term financed option

Pay minimum at time of service time or prior to services:

• Clinic office visits: Co-pay amount due, co-Insurance amount due or deductible amount (high-deductible plans).

• Hospital: Non-emergent surgeries/procedures, 80 percent of what their insurance will leave due to the patient.

• Hospital: Non-emergent service, 17 percent. This includes lab, x-ray, and other non-surgery services of what insurance will leave due to the patient.

This new process will better educate the patient on what their insurance company will leave as the patients responsibility to pay.

Ranslem-Parson also noted the following:

•SRMC will bill your insurance on your behalf for your services.

• When insurance pays, you will receive an Explanation of Benefits – or EOB – from your insurance company. It will show you what your insurance company paid for services and what portion of the bill they have left as your balance due.

• Shortly after receiving an EOB from your insurance company, SRMC will send you a statement for any remaining balance due.

• Insurances can often take weeks and even months to pay, especially if you have a secondary coverage. As the secondary coverage cannot be billed until your primary insurance has paid their portion.