It is important for medical facilities to establish financial responsibility so that can be paid for their services they have provided. According to Medical Insurance, the first step in doing so is verifying the patient’s benefits. The medical facility makes sure the patient’s medical records and information provided is up to date, all copayments or coinsurance is collected at the time the payment was required, and to confirm the particular service that was provided to the patient was necessary and covered by the insurance. Patients need to understand that it is the physician’s duty to view and treat patients from a medical standpoint and not based on their insurance coverage. If the patient’s insurance does not cover a planned service, then the patient should have been made aware of this, particularly before services have been administered. The patient will then be considered the responsible payer for the medical services and would be required to pay the full amount at the time the payment is due. There are several steps a patient can take to handle non-covered service plan. According to www.mskcc.org , the patient can write a letter of an appeal to their insurance company. The patient would also need to learn more about the medical condition and try to seek other alternatives that may be accepted by their medical insurance. No matter what the reason for the patient’s visit it is imperative that they are familiar with their insurance and the types of coverage it provides.
References: www.mskcc.org Medical Insurance Copyright 2014 The McGraw-Hill
