Out of Pocket Expenses

Providing the quality health care that you expect and deserve from us is costly.

When you pay the out-of-pocket expenses you owe for your services before OR at the time you receive them, we are able to reduce some of our costs to you.

How Does Paying Before OR at the Time of Service Help Reduce Our Costs to You?

When you pay for services before you receive them OR at the time you receive them, it helps us by reducing:

• The costs of printing and mailing follow-up statements to you.
• The amount of time and cost we spend calling you about your payments.
• The time and cost we spend on tracking your payments.

In addition to reducing hospital costs, paying for your out-of-pocket expenses before OR at the time of service helps you.

How Does Paying Before OR at the Time of Service Help You?

Paying for services before OR at the time you receive them from us helps you by:

• Allowing you to decide how you will pay for services before you receive them.
• Allowing us to quickly identify whether you may need financial assistance through programs like TennCare.
• Allowing us to set-up payment plans before you receive a bill from us.
• Allowing us to offer you discounts for paying before or at the time you receive services.
• Allowing you to maintain or establish a good credit rating.
• Allowing you to avoid being contacted by a collection agency to pay for your services.

Paying Out-of-Pocket Expenses at Time of Service - What to Expect?

Scheduled Services

• A Patient Access Representative will verify your insurance coverage and benefits and determine what estimated out-of-pocket expense you will owe.
• The Patient Access Representative will contact you to discuss your benefits and your estimated out-of-pocket expense due before or on the day of your scheduled service.
• Our Patient Access staff will collect your out-of-pocket expense on the day of your service, if you have not paid before you arrive.

Unscheduled or Emergent Services

• For services that are unscheduled but are not urgent or emergent, a Patient Access Representative will verify your insurance coverage and benefits when you register, and will collect your estimated out-of- pocket expense before you receive your service.
• For urgent or emergent treatment or admission, a Patient Access Representative will verify your coverage and benefits and collect your estimated out-of-pocket expense after you receive a full medical screening exam and stabilizing treatment. Collection of payment will occur either in a treatment room or at the point of discharge.

NOTICE TO PATIENTS

On your next visit to our facility, you will be expected to pay out-of-pocket expenses such as co-payments or co-insurance on or before the day services are provided.

Approved deposits with payment arrangements can be made through the health systems’ Financial Counselor.