We’ve all been there. We arrive to our appointment on time, walk up the receptionist to check in before seeing the doctor, and before we can grab our seat they ask,
“Would you like to go ahead and pay the bill now?”
The answer to this question, at least 99% of the time, should be… NO!
There are a few reasons for this:
- To give the claim time to be run through your insurance
- So your insurance carrier can apply any discounts to the total charge
- So your insurance carrier can make sure that the doctor’s office is charging you a ‘reasonable and customary’ amount
- To avoid an accounting nightmare if the charge ends up being different after your appointment or procedure
Always make sure your doctor’s office runs the claim through your insurance prior to you paying the bill. After this happens, go ahead and pay the bill! Or, better yet, give your doctor’s office a call and ask if you can pay in full in exchange for a discount.
Now, there are exceptions to this rule, and if you are ever faced with a major inpatient or outpatient procedure, paying at time of service may be necessary per the facility’s mandate. Depending on the procedure, some hospitals do require payment upfront or a down payment.
If you have any questions regarding whether or not you should pay at time of service, give Clevenger Insurance a call today at 574-267-2181.
