Blog

Whether it's a trip to the urgent care with a sick child or an emergency room visit for chest pains, accessing health care can be an emotionally charged event. Many times while patients are in the exam room worrying about their physical well-being, they're also worrying about the financial implications of their visit. Regardless of whether you have insurance or not, a trip to the doctor also means paying for the cost of those services.

Whether it's a trip to the urgent care with a sick child or an emergency room visit for chest pains, accessing health care can be an emotionally charged event. Many times while patients are in the exam room worrying about their physical well-being, they're also worrying about the financial implications of their visit. Regardless of whether you have insurance or not, a trip to the doctor also means paying for the cost of those services.

Understanding the intricacies and details involved in health care services and expenses, Memorial Hospital of Converse County's Accounts Receivable Department employees work closely with patients to ease the entire process. From billing insurance as quickly as possible to discussing with patients payment options, Business Office Director Jerrie Root and her staff work to help families through what can sometimes become another emotionally charged event.

"We're willing to help," Root said. "Our staff includes financial counselors who sit down with patients and listen to every person's situation."

From the moment a patient walks through the door, the process of caring for a patient begins with the collection of their personal information, insurance cards and consent for treatment. With a patient profile created, the entire interaction with the patient and the hospital is recorded.

"We have a schedule we follow," Root said. "We have a collection stream process."

From coding records to billing the insurance, Memorial Hospital of Converse County staff work diligently to ensure the process is seamless and efficient, Root said. Patients will typically receive their first bill a little more than a month after services depending on how quickly response from the insurance company, Medicaid or Medicare is received. Then invoices are mailed again at 30, 60 and 90 days and no interest is charged along the way.

When people struggle to pay their bills, the business office staff works closely with them to discuss options. Sometimes that will mean a long-term payment plan, other times it means applying to Medicaid.

"We do offer people the option to pay over time," Root said. "If people need long-term payment options, we use Health Care Payment Systems."

A company that specializes in long-term hospital servicing billing, Health Care Payment Systems allows Memorial Hospital of Converse County to focus on meeting the patient's needs physically while building long-term relationships. It also enables the hospital to use its staff in the most cost effective way.

"It's giving that piece to someone who specializes in managing those accounts," Root said. "It's allowing the hospital to focus on the patients."

If long-term payment options are not viable, there are other avenues available to patients, including applying for Medicaid or other financial need-based programs. Regardless of a patient's ability to pay, as a publicly funded hospital, Memorial Hospital of Converse County has an obligation to treat them and working together on payment solutions is in the best interest of everyone, Root said.

"We do a lot of education," Root said. "We do the very best we can and we continue to help everybody who comes in contact with us."

To contact Memorial Hospital of Converse County in regards to your recent bill, call 307-358-2122.