Billing
Billing
Understanding Your Bill

What a Hospital Bill Covers: The hospital bill covers the cost of your room, meals, 24-hour nursing care, laboratory work, tests, medication, therapy, and the services of hospital employees. You will receive a separate bill from your physicians for their professional services. If you have questions about these separate bills, please call the number printed on each statement.



The hospital is responsible for submitting bills to your insurance company and will do everything possible to expedite your claim. You should remember that your policy is a contract between you and your insurance company, and you have the final responsibility for payment of your hospital bill.



As soon as your physician and other medical personnel involved in your care complete and sign medical records and forms, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center will process your bill to the insurance carriers you identified at the time of your services.

If the Insurance Company Doesn’t Pay

As a courtesy to you, the hospital bills your insurance carrier. Unless your insurance carrier is an HMO, you, the patient or guarantor, still are ultimately responsible for payment of your bill. This includes any and all amounts your insurance does not pay within 60 days of the date Lakewood Ranch Medical Center submits your claim. If your insurance does not pay any or all of the hospital bill, you are responsible for contacting your insurance company to learn the reason.

Making Payments
Balances for co-payments and deductibles are due at the time services are provided. Any balance left after the hospital receives your insurer’s payment is due in full when you receive your bill unless you make other arrangements.

Payment can be made by mail or in person at the Financial Counselor’s Office, which is located on the first floor of the hospital. We accept cash, checks, MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover credit cards.

If you have questions about the hospital bill you receive, or have difficulty paying your balance, our Business Office will be happy to assist you. Call toll free 866.772.4492 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Payments also can be made online at lwrmc.com.

Your payment can be mailed to:
Lakewood Ranch Medical Center
P.O. Box 31001-0827
Pasadena, CA 91101

Correspondence regarding your account can be mailed to: 
UHS of Delaware - Atlantic Region CBO 
8831 Park Central Dr., Suite 102 
Richmond, VA 23117 

Correspondence can be emailed to: cs.atlcbo@uhsinc.com
Indirect Services

Hospital charges cover direct and indirect services. Indirect services that are not specifically listed on your bill include general nursing care, housekeeping and linen services, meals and nourishment, business and management services, engineering, social services, and safety and security. Hospital charges are reviewed and revised annually. Hospital charges also are reviewed by the Agency for Healthcare Administration for the state of Florida.

Coordination of Benefits (COB)
Coordination of Benefits, referred to as COB, is a term used by insurance companies when you are covered under two or more insurance policies. This usually happens when spouses or partners are listed on each other’s insurance policies, when both parents carry their children on their individual policies, or when there is eligibility under two federal programs. This also can occur when you are involved in a motor vehicle accident and have medical insurance and automobile insurance.

Most insurance companies have COB provisions that determine who is the primary payer when medical expenses are incurred. This prevents duplicate payments. COB priority must be identified at admission in order to comply with insurance guidelines. Your insurance may request a completed COB form before paying a claim, and every attempt will be made to notify you if this occurs. The hospital cannot provide this information to your insurance company. You must resolve this issue with your insurance carrier in order for the claim to be paid.
Medicare

This hospital is an approved Medicare provider. All services billed to Medicare follow federal guidelines and procedures. Medicare has a COB clause. At the time of service, you will be asked to answer questions to help determine the primary insurance carrier paying for your visit. This is referred to as an MSP Questionnaire and is required by federal law. Your assistance in providing accurate information will allow us to bill the correct insurance company.


Medicare deductibles and coinsurance are covered by your secondary insurance if you have it. If you do not have secondary insurance, you will be asked to pay these amounts or establish a payment plan. If you are unable to pay these amounts, we will help you determine if you qualify for a state-funded program.

Medicaid
We will need a copy of your Medicaid card for the current month. Medicaid has payment limitations on a number of services and items. Medicaid does not pay for the cost of a private room unless medically necessary. 
For Self-Pay Patients
Our Patient Financial Services department will send statements for payment of self-pay accounts. You will receive two to three billing statements and two to three telephone calls over a 90-day period to obtain a payment or to make payment arrangements. If payment arrangements are not established and no payment is made during the 90-day period, the account will be placed with a collection agency.

If you need an itemized statement or have questions about your billing statement, please contact our Customer Service Department at 866.772.4492.
Billing
Once your account is billed to your insurance carrier, a summary bill of services will be mailed to you. You will receive periodic statements telling you the status of your account. Please read the statements carefully. Do not submit payment unless you are specifically directed to do so.
Commercial Insurance 
As a service to our customers, we will forward a claim to your commercial insurance carrier based on the information you provide at the time of registration. It is very important for you to provide all related information, such as policy number, group number, and the correct mailing address for your insurance company.

Pre-authorization

Many insurance carriers require pre-authorization of services be obtained prior to the services being provided to you. Lakewood Ranch Medical Center will assist you, the patient, with this process when possible. However, it is the insured’s responsibility to contact the appropriate pre-certification and authorization entity to expedite payment and prevent any possible denial of payments due to noncompliance of these procedures. Your employer’s human resources offices should be able to assist you with any such requirements since these vary for each patient based upon the insurer’s employer requirements.

Uninsured? 

The services of qualified financial counselors are available to all patients to help with billing, insurance, and Medicare questions. Financial counselors also can help you apply for outside sources of payment through a variety of local, state, and federal programs. Call 941.782.2167.

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