Billing Questions
Paying your bill
Questions about online payments
- How do I pay my bill online? Visit this link to pay your bill online. Quick Pay provides convenient viewing and payment for all of your accounts at Kossuth Regional Health Center. To get started you will need to enter the last name and date of birth of the person to whom the bill was sent, along with the access code provided on the bill.
- Does KRHC charge a service fee for online payments? No. If you see a service fee charged for your online payment for a medical bill from Kossuth Regional Health Center, then you are likely using the wrong website for payment. KRHC uses Quick Pay for online payments. Sometimes third party sites will appear to be connected to KRHC and will give you the option of paying your medical bill online, but these sites typically charge a fee and do not send your payment immediately. To be sure you are using the right online payment site, go to the Pay My Bill button on the top of the KRHC website, or use this link.
Health insurance questions
- Do I need to inform my insurance company that I’m going to receive health care services? It depends on your insurance policy. Because there are so many types of insurance plans, it is difficult for us to tell you whether or not you need prior approval or notification. It is your responsibility to check with your insurance company or your employer about this.
- Should I bring my insurance card with me to KRHC? Yes, the information on your insurance card is needed for KRHC to file a claim with your insurance company. When you come for care at KRHC, it is recommended that you bring your insurance card, photo identification and a list of current medications, if you are taking any.
- How do I find out if my insurance company will cover my health care services? Insurance policies vary from one to the next. Contact your insurance company or employer with specific questions about what is or is not covered by your insurance plan or if a referral is required. For Medicare, please refer to your Medicare handbook to verify coverage of services you will be receiving. You are legally responsible for your bill at the time you receive services from KRHC.
- Will you bill my insurance company for me? Yes. As a service to you, KRHC will bill your insurance company (or companies) based on the information provided by you at the time of registration. We are able to bill up to three insurance companies for you.
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How will I know if my insurance company has paid on my bill? You will likely receive an explanation of benefits from your insurance company. After your insurance company has paid or denied their portion of your hospital services, you will receive your statement indicating your responsibility. This statement will show the amount that has been paid and any balance you are required to pay. This is your bill. You have 30 days to pay the balance. If you cannot pay the balance within 30 days, please contact our Credit and Collections department to make payment arrangements.
Receiving your bill
- When will I receive a bill? The time between when you receive your care and when you receive your bill depends on how quickly the insurance company responds to the claim. After your insurance company has processed your charge, KRHC will send out a monthly statement showing your responsibility for the charges. Please note that Medicaid patients do not receive a statement. If you do not have insurance coverage or we do not have your insurance information, we will mail an itemized bill to you after you receive services. Payment can be made by cash, personal check or by credit card (MasterCard, Visa or Discover) within 30 days.
- Will I receive more than one bill? Yes, you may receive a bill from more than one provider for the same date of service. These bills are usually for services provided by physicians, by radiologist, pathologists or other professional medical groups. These groups will bill you directly for services they provided.
Payment plans and assistance
- How do I set up a payment arrangement? Contact Patient Financial Services and talk with our financial counselor. If you are unable to pay off your balance in full or make 6 monthly payments you will be referred to our loan company called HELP Financial. For more information on HELP Financial, click here.
- What if I cannot afford to pay my bill? Contact Patient Financial Services to see if there is a program for which you qualify. You may be eligible to receive financial assistance on your hospital bill.
- What if I cannot pay my bill? Contact Patient Financial Services to see if there is a program for which you qualify. You may be eligible to receive financial assistance on your bill.
Price transparancy
Para ver sus derechos y protecciones contra facturas médicas sorpresa, haga clic aquí.
YOUR RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS AGAINST SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLS
When you get emergency care or get treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, you are protected from surprise billing or balance billing.
WHAT IS “BALANCE BILLING” (SOMETIMES CALLED “SURPRISE BILLING”)?
When you see a doctor or other health care provider, you may owe certain out-of-pocket costs, such as a copayment, coinsurance, and/or a deductible. You may have other costs or have to pay the entire bill if you see a provider or visit a health care facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network.
“Out-of-network” describes providers and facilities that haven’t signed a contract with your health plan. Out-of-network providers may be permitted to bill you for the difference between what your plan agreed to pay and the full amount charged for a service. This is called “balance billing.” This amount is likely more than in-network costs for the same service and might not count toward your annual out-of-pocket limit.
“Surprise billing” is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who is involved in your care—like when you have an emergency or when you schedule a visit at an in-network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider.
YOU ARE PROTECTED FROM BALANCE BILLING FOR:
Emergency services
If you have an emergency medical condition and get emergency services from an out-of-network provider or facility, the most the provider or facility may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount (such as copayments and coinsurance). You can’t be balance billed for these emergency services. This includes services you may get after you’re in stable condition, unless you give written consent and give up your protections not to be balanced billed for these post-stabilization services.
Certain services at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center
When you get services from an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, certain providers there may be out-of-network. In these cases, the most those providers may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount. This applies to emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory, neonatology, assistant surgeon, hospitalist, or intensivist services. These providers can’t balance bill you and may not ask you to give up your protections not to be balance billed.
If you get other services at these in-network facilities, out-of-network providers can’t balance bill you, unless you give written consent and give up your protections.
You’re never required to give up your protections from balance billing. You also aren’t required to get care out-of-network. You can choose a provider or facility in your plan’s network.
WHEN BALANCE BILLING ISN’T ALLOWED, YOU ALSO HAVE THE FOLLOWING PROTECTIONS:
You are only responsible for paying your share of the cost (like the copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles that you would pay if the provider or facility was in-network). Your health plan will pay out-of-network providers and facilities directly.
Your health plan generally must:
- Cover emergency services without requiring you to get approval for services in advance (prior authorization).
- Cover emergency services by out-of-network providers.
- Base what you owe the provider or facility (cost-sharing) on what it would pay an in-network provider or facility and show that amount in your explanation of benefits.
- Count any amount you pay for emergency services or out-of-network services toward your deductible and out-of-pocket limit.
If you believe you’ve been wrongly billed, you may contact the Revenue Cycle Manager at (515) 295-4673.
Visit https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises for more information about your rights under federal law.
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost
Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.
- You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
- Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
- If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
- Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit
www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059.