University Health Care System strives to provide you with prompt, accurate billing. You will receive a statement of account that does not include charges for your private physician, emergency physician or professional fees for pathology, radiology, anesthesia, etc. All charges may not appear on your bill by the time you leave the hospital because of the cycles of the various services you may have used. After you get your first statement, you will receive at least one statement every 30 days until your account is paid in full.
Financial Arrangements You or your representative need to make satisfactory financial arrangements for your treatment. In addition to your insurance coverage, we accept cash, personal checks, VISA, MasterCard or American Express. Our acceptance of insurance assignments is a courtesy to you, and benefits are accepted with the full understanding that you or your guarantor is fully responsible for payment of the bill.
Patient/Guarantor Payment If no applicable benefits for hospitalization insurance have been assigned, a cash deposit is required at the time of elective admission. Co-payments or deductibles are payable at the time of service. Your Access Coordinator is your advisor concerning payment arrangements.
Billing All charges may not appear on your bill by the time you leave because of the cycles of the various services you may have used. After you get home, you will receive a summary statement detailing services provided, and we will file claims to your insurance on your behalf. You may also request a fully itemized statement, (except in the case of Medicaid coverage). After you receive the initial statement, you will receive at least one statement every 30 days until your account is paid in full. If you have any questions, please call the Patient Accounts Service Center at 706/828-2333.
Managed Care/Preferred Providers University Hospital is considered a preferred provider for many insurance plans and networks. However, if University is not your plan's preferred provider, you may incur a larger financial responsibility for choosing a "non-network" hospital. It is the guarantor/patient's responsibility to confirm the preferred provider status of University Hospital with your insurance carrier. If your choice of University Hospital is "out of network," and you are unable to obtain an exception from your insurance plan, you will be responsible for whatever your insurance does not cover, which is likely to be a significant amount.
Medicare Your Medicare card must be presented at admission to confirm your benefits. At the time of your registration, the Access Coordinator is required by law to ask several questions from the Medicare Secondary Payor form that will aid us in properly billing your account to Medicare Dental admissions are not covered under Medicare.
Medicaid If you receive Medicaid, you should present a medical card for the current month at the time of your admission. Regardless of "medical necessity," Medicaid will not pay for a private room. Medicaid is secondary to any and all third-party coverage. All applicable insurance must be assigned to University Hospital as primary carrier. Medicaid does not allow the hospital to give patients or others an itemized statement for the purpose of collecting unassigned third-party payment. Medicaid requires notification of any person requesting an itemized statement.
Self-Pay Care If you believe that you would qualify for financial assistance because you cannot afford to pay your bill, please tell your Access Coordinator. University Hospital has staff that will review your case and assist you in filing for any available assistance programs. After reviewing your case, if it is determined that no outside programs exist for you, then University will review your case under the hospital's Indigent and Charity Care Program. If you do not qualify for any of these programs, you will be responsible for your charges. Arrangements can be made for monthly payments with the Patient Accounts Service Center at 706/828-2333.
Physicians' Fees Your hospital bill does not include fees for your physician(s) or for services from physicians who practice at University Hospital to include: emergency physicians, anesthesiologists, pathologists, radiologists, neonatologists or other independent practitioners. You will receive a separate bill from their billing offices, and all inquiries should be directed to the telephone number on the bill.
Utilization Review University Hospital is required by Medicare, Medicaid and most private pay health insurance plans to monitor the patient's hospital stay. If your coverage requires such monitoring, you will be asked to sign a consent for release of your medical information to the requesting agency. If, during this monitoring process, your insurance company or agency notifies the hospital that services you are receiving are no longer covered by terms outlined in your policy, your admissions coordinator will contact you to discuss this matter.
Questions and Information If you have any questions about your bill and the charges it contains, please call the Patient Accounts Service Center at 706/828-2333 or toll free 800/763-0250. This office is located on the lower level of the University Hospital Business Center at 1230 Walton Way (corner of Walton Way and 13th Street) in the old Georgia Power building. As an added convenience, a drop box is located outside the entrance where you may deposit your payment.
This hospital participates in the Georgia Indigent Care Trust Fund. Georgia residents with qualifying financial need are eligible to receive certain benefits under the Trust Fund.
You Have a Right To:
The availability of free and reduced-charge services
The ability to gain admittance without pre-admission deposits
Not be transferred solely or in significant part for economic reasons
The availability of services provided
The terms of eligibility for free and reduce services
The application process for free and reduced-charges
The person or office to whom complaints or questions about the hospital's participation in or operation of the program may be directed
You may be eligible for financial help with your bills for inpatient and outpatient services at this hospital. Under the Trust Fund, we offer a certain amount of free and reduced-charge care each year. You can see University Hospital's Financial Assistance Determination Guidelines here. Applications may be picked up at the following locations:
Hospital Main Lobby 1350 Walton Way 706/774-5321 or 706/774-2563
If you have any concerns about how we operate programs under the Trust Fund rules, you may contact the Hospital's Indigent Specialist at 706/828-2448 or write to the Department of Community Health at 2 Peachtree St., N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303-3159.
You will be asked to pay deductibles, co-insurance, private room differences and non-covered amounts prior to service. University Hospital is considered a preferred provider for many insurance plans. If University Hospital is not your plan's preferred provider, you will be responsible for a higher co-payment or percentage of your hospital charges for choosing a "non-network" hospital, which could be significant. It is your responsibility to confirm the preferred provider status of University Hospital with your insurance carrier. Your plan's Customer Service staff will be able to verify if University is or is not a Participating Provider at the time of service, and they can be reached at the phone number quoted on your card.
Most insurance companies do require pre-certification and/or referral from your primary physician in advance of service. University Hospital recommends that you call the insurance company to verify that the pre-certifications and referrals have been completed. It is the responsibility of the patient, guarantor or patient's physician to notify or call the insurance company. Failure to gather pre-certification, physician referral or pre-authorization may result in reduced payment or denial of benefits by insurance company.
For more information, please call 706/774-2125 or click here to send an e-mail.
University Health Care System accepts the following health plans:
Insurance Carrier Contracts
Aetna PPO
Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Georgia HMO
Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Georgia PPO
Blue Cross/Blue Shield of South Carolina PPC
Georgia Board of Regents State Benefit Health Plan PPO
United Health Care HMO, POS and PPO
Coventry
Principal
BlueChoice HMO SC
Instil-Medicare Advantage
Humana Gold-Medicare Advantage
United Complete-Medicare Advantage
Lease Network Contracts
CCN
Definity
First Health
First Medical Network
Fortified Provider Network
Great West Healthcare PPO and POS (formerly One Health Plan)
Healthcare Savings (formerly Physicians Care Network)
Humana Choicecare Network
Industry Buying Group (IBG)
Kanawha Healthcare Solutions
MedCost
Multiplan (with BCE Emergis and Preferred Plan of Georgia (PPOG))
Novanet
Premier Health Systems
Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
Southcare
Three Rivers Network
Universal Health Network
USA Managed Care
Pro Net
This list is subject to change. University Hospital does not participate with discount programs such as Care Entrée, Physician Visit and Hospital Program, and Prudent Choice. We currently participate with most Medicare Advantage Private Fee for Service plans. If you have any questions regarding your plan's participation with University Hospital, please call Scheduling and Benefits at 706/774-5777.
