Looking to Apply for Financial Assistance? You can find the Application by Clicking the Button Below.
Application
Thank you for choosing Barnesville Hospital for your health care services. We hope the care you received was satisfactory and met your needs and expectations. We, in the Patient Financial Services Department, want to assist you with the charges you incurred. The information below outlines our billing and collections process, the payment options and financial assistance available to our patients. Feel free to call us at 740-425-5136 if you have questions.
Charges for Services:
Barnesville Hospital’s official charges (price) for services and items provided to patients are those charges established in the hospital chargemaster. Charges are reviewed annually and adjusted as needed, according to hospital costs and market trends. All patients (inpatients and outpatients) – those with and without health insurance coverage – are billed the same charges for the same services. Patients with no health insurance coverage receive a “Self Pay Discount” on all services provided.
Health Insurance:
Barnesville Hospital is a participating provider for Medicare, Medicaid, VA, Tricare, Black Lung, and Worker’s Compensation. The hospital is also a participating provider for many commercial insurers and managed care plans. Please be aware that not all services are covered by insurance. Additionally, if our hospital is not a provider hospital under your insurance plan, services at Barnesville Hospital may not be covered by your insurance. It is the patient’s responsibility to know if the hospital is a provider under your particular health plan and to provide all insurance information necessary for us to submit your claim. Patients are responsible for all deductibles, co-payments, co-insurance and for charges not covered by insurance.
No Insurance or Under-Insured
For patients with no health insurance coverage, Barnesville Hospital offers several options to assist you in paying for your services. Please call 740-425-5136 to speak with our Patient Financial Counselor. She will explain the many options available to you, including free and discounted care. Patients who are under-insured or who have high deductibles, co-pays and/or co-insurance may also be eligible for discounted care.
Patient Financial Counselor:
Our Patient Financial Counselor is available to assist your with your patient financial needs. She will attempt to contact all patients with no health insurance coverage to explain payment options and financial assistance available. The Patient Financial Counselor’s office is located on the first floor of the hospital, just off the main lobby. From the lobby, turn right, and go to the first door on the left. Office hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. If the Financial Counselor is unavailable, the Cashier can also assist you. The Cashier’s Office is located across the hall from the Patient Financial Counselor. The Cashier’s hours are 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Evenings, weekends, and holidays, you may obtain information or an application for HCAP/Financial Assistance from the Registration Department. You may also call our Patient Financial Counselor at 740-425-5136. If she is unavailable, feel free to leave your name, phone number, and a brief message and she will return your call. Remember, our Patient Financial Counselor is here to help our patients.
Payment Options:
Barnesville Hospital offers many payment options to assist our patients. Cash, checks, and money orders as well as VISA, MASTERCARD, and debits cards are accepted. Patients may also make monthly payments with a signed approved payment agreement. Please call our statement company at 1-888-859-9434 to make that arrangement.
Point of Service Collections
Barnesville Hospital implemented Point of Service (POS) Collections in November, 2011. This means you will be “asked” to pay your insurance co-pay at the time of service. This is not required, but may eliminate you receiving a bill later. It also helps the hospital keep costs down by eliminating the need to bill the patient for the co-pay later. Many patients also prefer to pay the co-pay at the time of service rather than receive a bill later.
Self Pay patients (those with no health insurance coverage) will be asked to pay a reasonable down payment at the time of service. These amounts are similar to the most reasonable co-pays paid by those with health insurance. Again, this is not required, but it helps patients pay their bill more quickly. It is usually easier to pay bills in increments rather than paying a lump sum.
All POS payments will be credited to the patient’s account the next day.
Financial Assistance
Self Pay Discount:
All patients with no health insurance coverage receive a 20% discount on billed charges.
Free Care:
Barnesville Hospital participates in the Hospital Care Assurance Program through the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. Under this program, patients may be eligible for “free care” if their family income is at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) for the family’s size. This program is applicable to all hospital level services. It is not applicable to professional services (such as pathologists and anesthesia providers). However, professional services are eligible for the Barnesville Hospital discounts.
Discounted Care:
Barnesville Hospital offers discounted care to patients whose family income is between 100% and 250% of the FPG. This financial assistance program applies to the balance due on account and is available to patients with or without health insurance coverage. Discounts range from 25% to 75% based on family income and family size. Patients who are eligible for free care under HCAP and who incur charges for professional services will be eligible for a 100% discount on the professional services through this program.
Free and Discounted Care Criteria:
(based on the Federal Poverty Guidelines for 2020, effective Jan. 17, 2020)
FAMILY SIZE | 2020 INCOME LEVEL | 2019 INCOME LEVEL |
1 | $12,760 | $12,490 |
2 | $17,240 | $16,910 |
3 | $21,720 | $21,330 |
4 | $26,200 | $25,750 |
5 | $30,680 | $30,170 |
6 | $35,160 | $34,590 |
7 | $39,640 | $39,010 |
8 | $44,120 | $43,430 |
EACH ADDITIONAL PERSON, ADD | $4,480 | $4,420 |
* 2020 FPG effective 1/17/20
Barnesville Hospital understands that patients sometimes incur exceptionally high hospital bills or multiple bills during a specific time period due to illness or injury. In these situations patients may be eligible for a temporary discount due to their current situation. Barnesville Hospital offers a 50% discount to those who qualify.
Outside Financial Assistance:
Patients may also be eligible for outside financial assistance. Our Patient Financial Counselor can direct you to outside agencies that may be able to assist you, such as Medicaid, SSI, the Veterans Administration, or Victims of Crime. Contact her at 740-425-5136.
Applying for Financial Assistance:
Patients may apply for Financial Assistance by completing the “Application for HCAP/Financial Assistance”. Applications are available from the Patient Financial Counselor, the Cashier, the Registration Department, or by clicking this link to access the application.
The Billing Process
Barnesville Hospital will bill health insurance plans for the services provided. It is very important that patients provide all insurance information and ID numbers so we may properly submit your claim. Failure to provide this information will result in the patient/guarantor being responsible for all charges incurred. After insurances have been billed, accounts with remaining balances due and accounts not covered by health insurance will be billed to the patient/guarantor. The balance due may be the insurance deductible, co-pay or co-insurance amounts, or charges not covered by insurance. To help keep hospital costs down, the hospital prefers all remaining balances be paid within thirty (30) days, but we realize that this is not realistic for many patients. Monthly payments may be made, but a minimum of $25/month must be received each month on each account to keep the account in good standing. Failure to pay the monthly minimum payment will cause the account to become delinquent. Accounts that fall into a delinquent status may be forwarded to a collection agency if no payment arrangement has been made. We regret this action may be necessary, but the hospital offers many options to assist our patients before an account reaches the collections level.
Your Bill
It is important to note that you will receive two bills for care received.The bill you receive from WVU Medicine Hospital Services is for charges related with your visit or hospital stay. This includes fees for the room, procedures, exams, nursing care, and medication.
The second is for WVU Medicine Physician Services. The physician bill includes fees for the doctors directly responsible for your care and other services such as test interpretation, x-rays, and anesthesia.
Please be sure you understand how your insurance policy covers both hospital and physician charges. The physician and hospital coverage may vary depending on your plan. Contact your provider to confirm how your insurance plan covers physician billing.
For questions about billing contact our Patient Financial Counselor at 740-425-5136