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Financial Information
As part of our healing
ministry, St. John's Mercy Health Care is committed to providing quality
health care services to patients regardless of their financial situation.
We offer payment assistance for those who do not have insurance or who are
in financial need. Visit our Financial
Assistance/Charity Care information
page for more information.
Your bill reflects all of the services you have received during your stay at
St. John's Mercy. Charges fall into two categories: a basic daily rate, which
includes your room, meals, nursing care, housekeeping, telephone and television,
and charges for special services, which include items ordered by your physicians,
such as X-rays or laboratory tests.
Professional Charges
You may receive separate bills for certain tests and treatments for professional
services rendered by pathologists, radiologists, cardiologists, anesthesiologists
and other specialists. These physicians, who may be needed to diagnose and
interpret test results, are required by the government and insurance carriers
to bill you separately. Some physician specialists may not participate in
your health plan and you may be responsible for part or all of their bills.
If you have questions about these bills, please call the specialist's office
directly. The telephone number is printed on the statement.
Insurance Claims
Please familiarize yourself with the terms of your health care plan. This will
help you understand the Medical Center's billing procedures and charges. Your
insurance policy is a contract between you and your insurance company. As a
courtesy, the Medical Center will submit bills to your insurance company and
will assist you in receiving the full benefit of your health insurance plan.
Please remember that payment of your bill is your responsibility. The Medical
Center has several payment options available to assist you. If there is a question
about your health care coverage, a hospital representative will contact you
or a member of your family during your stay to obtain the necessary information.
We also provide several options for patients who receive services without the
benefit of insurance coverage to address differences in payment requirements.
Co-Insurance
Your insurance card, presented upon registration, helps the Medical Center
to work directly with your insurance company. Depending upon the extent of
your coverage and deductible requirements, you may have been asked to pay a
co-payment/out-of-pocket expense or deposit. You are asked to assign benefits
from the insurance company directly to the Medical Center to facilitate billing
for the health care services you are receiving.
HMOs and PPOs
Your plan may have special requirements, such as a second surgical opinion
or pre-certification for certain procedures. It is your responsibility to
make sure your plan's requirements have been met. If such requirements are
not followed, you may be financially responsible for all or part of the services
rendered in the hospital. Some physician specialists may not participate
in your health care plan and their services may not be fully covered.
Patient Insurance Consultant
If you have questions about insurance claim forms, medical bills, insurance
payments or information you have received from your insurance company, you
may call our patient insurance consultant at 314-251-5722 or extension 15722
to make an appointment. Consultation is free of charge, and the office is
located in the Mercy Doctors Building on the ground floor.
Medicare
Your Medicare card was presented upon registration to verify eligibility and
facilitate processing your Medicare claim. Please note that the Medicare
program specifically excludes payment for certain items and services, such
as cosmetic surgery, some oral surgery procedures, personal comfort items,
hearing evaluations and others. These non-covered charges, as well as deductibles
and co-payments, are your financial responsibility.
Medicaid
Presenting your Medicaid card upon registration helps us to process your patient
account effectively because the card contains information for identifying
St. John's Mercy as a participant in your health care plan.
Third Party
Liability (TPL)
If
you are a Medicare or Champus/Tricare patient and you have been involved in
an
accident where there is third party liability insurance, you will be requested
to complete
a TPL form. These forms are available in Admitting, Cashier and Financial Counselor
offices. Medicare and Champus/Tricare require the third party liability
insurance
to be billed as primary.
Financial Counseling
Financial Counselors are available to assist you while you are a patient in
the Medical Center. To reach a financial counselor, call extension 13832.
Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Payment Options
Patient balances are due within 15 days after you receive your bill. Here are
your options:
- Full payment may be made by cash, VISA, Discover or MasterCard. Please
visit our Billing Center to make
payments online (www.stjohnsmercy.org/services/billing/).
- Other arrangements may be made by contacting a financial counselor or the
Patient Accounting department.
We also seek alternatives for patients in temporary financial need and those
uninsured patients who cannot afford full payment of their hospital charges.
Payment plans and, if appropriate, bill reductions are offered to patients
with demonstrated need or an inability to pay.
To reach Patient Accounting from home, call 314-364-4200. If you live outside
the area, call toll-free 800-833-0799. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday
through Friday.
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