Frequently Asked Questions
If your question was not featured below, please contact your local location for more information.
Answers to Your Questions About Billing Services
We understand that medical billing is a complex topic. Our goal is to provide some clarity. Here at Lake Charles Memorial, we do everything we can to serve our clients with excellence. This includes answering your questions about our billing services. Read answers to frequently asked questions below, or contact our Lake Charles hospital for more information.
What is included in my hospital bill?
Your Lake Charles Memorial Health System bill includes charges for goods and services rendered by the hospital and LCMHS physicians but does not include any professional/affiliated physician services.
For example, depending on your care, you may receive separate bills for a diagnostic physician who analyzes your hospital x-ray or lab work, consulting specialty physicians that may have been requested by your primary care doctor based on your treatment plan, or ambulance services that are not a part of Memorial Health System. Since these outside providers are not part of the Memorial system, should you have questions about such bills, those service providers should be contacted directly.
Each hospital visit is billed individually, and itemized bills are available upon request. You may contact a Patient Account Representative at 337.494.3265 with any questions or concerns about your bill. If you are not able to speak with a representative, please leave a detailed message and someone will follow up with you within two business days.Why was my account sent to a collection agency?
We refer unpaid accounts to collections agencies after a set period of time. We will mail a total of four statements to the address provided by the patient prior to sending the account over to collections. Which means you have up to 120 days to take action on your account before being sent over to the collection agency in which they will begin the process of mailing the patient letters regarding the collection balance.
What am I responsible for paying? What if I am unable to pay my bill?
Lake Charles Memorial Health System will bill your insurance(s) prior to billing you for any balances left on your account. However, if your insurance fails to pay the claims, you will be responsible for any and all costs incurred with the provision of your care. All balances are expected to be paid in full within 30 days of being billed, or you must make appropriate payment arrangements if that is not possible.
If you are under specific circumstances that may impact the timely, accurate and complete payment of services, please contact a Patient Account Representative. There are payment plans and payment options available. These arrangements can be made after a brief interview with a Patient Account Representative. Please note, failure to comply with payment plan arrangement may result in debt being transferred to a collection agency.
There are many programs available for the uninsured. If you are uninsured and need assistance with your bill, please contact one of our Patient Account Representatives at 337.494.3265 for further information.
I need to apply for Medicaid. Where can I go?
Memorial Hospital has two Medicaid Application Centers – the patient access center, located in Admitting in the Atrium of our Oak Park campus at 1701 Oak Park Blvd or the Aster Street Business Office located at 3050 Aster St.
The office hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Application requests are by appointment only. Please call 337.494.6458 to set up, cancel or reschedule an appointment.
How much will my hospital stay cost?
Hospital price transparency helps Americans know the cost of a hospital item or service before receiving it. Lake Charles Memorial Health System provides access to the downloadable information below. The information is being provided via a third-party payer transparency service to assist you in determining your out-of-pocket costs prior to scheduling your service. If you would like to price a specific service, this tool can assist you in selecting the type of service with just a few questions by clicking the secure link below. If the service you are looking for is not found, please contact us at 337.494.3000.
It is extremely important to understand that the billed charges are only a small part of the equation when estimating the cost of your hospital experience. Other factors that may affect your hospital responsibility are deductible, out-of-pocket maximums, co-pays, provider network, etc. Please contact your insurance provider for more detailed information.
Notice: Health care services may be provided to you at a network healthcare facility by facility-based physicians who are not in your health plan. You may be responsible for payment of all or part of the fees for those out-of-network services, in addition to applicable amounts due for co-payments, coinsurance, deductibles, and non-covered services. Specific information about in-network and out-of-network facility based physicians can be found at the website address of your health plan or by calling the customer service telephone number of your health plan.
Can I get an estimate for the charges I'll be receiving?
Yes. Contact our patient access representative at 337.494.3224. We'll provide you with an estimate for your charges.
I would like to see an itemized bill or my account balance. Who can I call?
We're happy to help you with that. Get in touch with a customer service representative from our Lake Charles hospital at 337.494.3265 for an itemized bill or to see the current balance on your account.
How long will it be until I receive my statement?
We start by billing the insurance provider or providers you name. We will also bill any worker's compensation insurance company you present when you register prior to billing you. As soon as your health insurance provider has gone through with their payments, you will receive our statement. Please review the statement for accuracy. If you have any questions about your statement, please contact a customer service representative at 337.494.3265.
Is physician billing separate from hospital billing?
Yes.
What is the explanation of benefits (EOB) I received?
An Explanation of Benefits, often referred to as an EOB, is a document that describes what costs a health insurance plan will cover for incurred healthcare and related expenses. EOBs are created when an insurance provider processes a claim for services received. An EOB is not a bill, but rather a statement of rendered services outlining the provider charges, plan discounts and/or coverages, and the remaining participant responsible balance.
Why couldn't the registration representative at the ER tell me anything about whether or not my insurance would cover my visit?
This is due to the fact that there are regulations in place prohibiting us from answering your billing questions until we have learned more about your emergency. This protects patients and ensures that everyone who visits our emergency room can receive help without worrying about their ability to pay.