Insurance & Billing
Payment Information:
Doctors
Visits
Payments for physician charges are to be made with the physician's
private office and through their individual billing companies.
Total Joint Center staff will not collect co-payments nor ask for
payment at the time of the visit. The insurance information you
provide to the hospital will be forwarded to the physician's
billing service following your visit and your insurance will be
billed for services rendered at the Total Joint Center.
It is important to note that patients in the
Total Joint Center will receive two separate charges, one from the
physician and another from Saint Francis. Physician fees are billed
at a lower rate when seen at the Total Joint Center to compensate
for the Facility Fee. The hospital will bill your
insurance company directly for the facility fee as will your
physician's private office for services performed by the
physician.
Surgery
Patients admitted to Saint Francis for surgery may also pay any
required pre-admission deposits during their preoperative
appointment if necessary. This is usually done the week prior to
surgery. Cash, personal checks, traveler's checks, American
Express, MasterCard, Discover, Diners Club and Visa are
accepted.
Surgery patients will also receive bills for
services from other physicians or practitioners involved in your
care. These practitioners may include the physician performing the
history and physical, the anesthesiologist that puts you to sleep
or gives the spinal anesthetic, the radiologist who reads your
radiographic studies, the cardiologist who interprets the EKG, the
pathologist who reviews the removed material and an assistant
surgeon for the operation. The practitioners involved in your care
will usually bill your insurance company directly.
Uninsured and
Self-Pay Patients
If you are
uninsured or a self-pay patient, please contact the Total Joint
Center prior to your visit for an estimate of your charges.
Financial arrangements for physician services can be made through
the physician's private office. Contact the Total Joint Center at
(415) 353-6380 for further information if you are uninsured or wish
to self-pay.
Medicare
Patients
Patients who have assigned
their Medicare benefits to an HMO are not eligible for an
appointment unless the physician is a member of the HMO. Medicare
patients do have the option to "opt-out" of the HMO for a period of
time to have treatment at the Total Joint Center and Saint Francis
Memorial Hospital. Patients can drop the HMO plan by contacting
Social Security and the HMO and return to the standard Social
Security benefit plan. After a period of time you can return to the
HMO. The change of benefit options are for patients who are unable
to have surgery in a timely manner through the HMO, are unhappy
with the available choice of physicians, or are unsatisfied with
the implants available for their surgery. Be certain to review all
the options and understand how the coverage will work prior to
making any changes in your plan. Our Financial Advisors can offer
information to assist you, but the final decision rests with you,
the patient.
Patients or their guarantors are responsible
for payment of all charges for services rendered, regardless of the
amount covered by insurance companies. Medicare, without a
supplemental insurance, usually covers 80% of reasonable and
customary charges. While the Financial Advisors will not be able to
give you an exact amount of your costs, they will be able to
provide a good estimate.
Who to Contact with Your Insurance and Billing Questions:
The hospital has a staff of Patient Financial
Advisors available to answer your questions about insurance and
billing. In addition, the Total Joint Center is available to assist
you.
Correspondence
Address:
Patient Financial Advisor Office
Saint Francis Memorial Hospital
900 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
(Please include your account/guarantor number
with correspondence.)
Payment
Address
(Facility or Hospital
charges only):
Saint Francis Memorial Hospital
P.O. Box 7726
San Francisco, CA 94120-9940
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