Collin County Living Well Magazine March/April 2016 | Page 19

Read ALL Medicare/Patient Forms
Alert!
Before Procedures & Before Signing!
By Tucker Thompson

Some doctors and hospitals are placing signs in their reception area stating they may run procedures not covered by
insurance or Medicare and that the client is responsible for
payment. Be aware, Medicare will only pay for Medicare
approved procedures. The signing of a form may state you
are responsible for these charges, even though you gave
the receptionist your Medicare insurance cards.

When you get a bill from the hospital or medical office, check
your EOB (explanation of benefits) from Medicare and your
insurance company. You may have deductibles or co-pays,
depending on your Medicare coverage. If a charge is not
approved by Medicare, the charge may be sent to you. Telephone the billing department and ask for a supervisor. If you
specifically told the receptionist when checking in that you
only wanted procedures approved by Medicare, write down
the name of the person you’re talking with in the billing department, and politely explain to them that you only agreed
to Medicare approved services. Some billing departments will
take the charge off while others will insist you signed the form.

Always read before signing! When checking into a hospital
or medical office before any procedures or services, tell the
receptionist you only want services paid for by Medicare,
unless you are willing to personally pay for services not approved by Medicare. Show your Medicare card, Medicare
Supplement card, or your Medicare Advantage Plan card. If
the form states you agree to pay for any procedures not approved by Medicare, you may want to cross out and initial
that sentence, in addition to signing and dating the form usually at the end of the document. You may also want to ask for
a copy of your signed document too.

Up to 98% of Medicare claims are filed electronically to Medicare. If you have a Medicare supplement, Medicare then electronically sends the bill to your insurance company. By federal
law, Medicare payments must be paid by Medicare to the
provider within 10 days after the provider has electronically
sent in their bill to Medicare. Because payment from Medicare
to providers is so prompt, you shouldn’t be asked to pay out
of your pocket before any services, unless you have a co-pay
with your insurance plan. If you have an Advantage Plan, the
claim should be filed directly to your Advantage Plan insurance company from your medical provider.

M

ore hospitals and medical offices are charging
Medicare patients for procedures not covered by
Medicare!

New

Medicare choices in 2016
could mean better coverage for less money!

You can apply to change a Medicare supplement policy
anytime during the year!

Senior Life Division

Medicare Plans
Medicare Supplements
Health Insurance
Long-Term Care Policies
Life Insurance

Benchmark Financial Services is a local company with a Senior Life Division dedicated
to helping seniors review & find Medicare healthcare and prescription plans that best
fit each individual’s needs. With a strong commitment to offer independent,
unbiased advice, we are licensed with over 30 national companies and are not
“employed” by any of these companies whose plans we might recommend.

local [phone] or toll free [phone]

Your Local Agent:
Tucker Thompson

Certified Senior Advisor

COLLIN COUNTY Living Well Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2016

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