Bills for services rendered are sent only after your primary insurance has paid.
Contact us through our insurance clerk at 337-494-3049. Please understand that this will be an estimate.
Yes, please call a customer service representative at 337-494-3265.
You can call a customer service representative at 337-494-3265.
Yes, many accounts can be combined to a single payment plan. However, future visits will not be automatically combined with an established plan.
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 until your account reaches zero balance.
What if my account has been referred to a collection agency?
Accounts are referred to collections when the balances due remain unpaid. The hospital sends 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.
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 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 you were an inpatient you will receive a separate bill for the hospital services and another bill for the professional services provided during your hospital stay. If you came to our emergency room you will receive a separate bill from the ER physician or nurse practitioner.
Does my balance with Memorial’s ‘hospital bill’ include the physician bill?
No, the physician billing is separate from the hospital billing.
I was seen at Memorial’s Hospital for Women. Will I receive a bill from them?
Memorial Hospital for Women (formerly know as Gauthier Campus) is a department of the hospital; therefore, your bill will come from Memorial Hospital's business office. You can reach representatives at 337-494-3265.
Patient financial service representatives are available to help you Monday–Friday, 8:00 am till 4:30 pm at 337-494-3265.
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.
Yes. The hospital will be worker’s compensation insurance that was presented at the time of registration. The business office might call upon you to help expedite information from your employer if needed.
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 dispute. What should I do?
Please contact Patient Financial Services with your dispute. 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 notify the business office. If the charge is not supported, it will be credited to the claim and an adjusted claim will be submitted to your insurance company.
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 by call our representatives at 337-494-3265.
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) indicating how the claim was paid. You can compare your EOBs (both professional and technical EOBs) 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.
I went to the emergency department. 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 regulation can be frustrating; however, the regulations are there to ensure everyone who visits the emergency department will be seen regardless to 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 an inpatient status usually within 24 hour if an inpatient stay is necessary.