Financial Assistance
Financial Assistance for Medical Bills: Eligibility & Next Steps
We understand that at times you may be unable to pay your medical bills in full. Renown Health has a Financial Assistance Program (FAP) to provide discounts for patients in need. Financial Assistance Specialists can help you with your healthcare financial responsibilities. You must be a patient at Renown Health to use these services.
Patients can request help at any time. You may be eligible for the Financial Assistance Program for up to one year from first statement or 90 days from being sent to a collection agency.
Uninsured patients with no other payment source will be referred to a Financial Assistance Specialist. Based on the financial status at the time of service, the Financial Assistance Specialist will assist with determining eligibility for Government Assistance Programs. If denied for these programs, the Financial Assistance Specialist will assist with eligibility determination for the Financial Assistance Program.
Who Qualifies for the Financial Assistance Program?
The Financial Assistance Program may not be used for cosmetic, bariatric procedures, fertilizations, in addition to package price discounts, same day self-pay discounts, or any other non-medically necessary procedures. All screenings are based on the patient’s financial status at the time of service and/or upon submission of FAP application.
Uninsured Patients
- Uninsured Patients with Federal Poverty Level less than 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines will be considered for the Financial Assistance Program.
- Patients with Federal Poverty Level greater than 400 percent of the Poverty Guidelines can be evaluated for a payment plan.
Insured Patients
- Insured patients are required to apply for government program assistance if under 138% FPL.
- A payment, denial (denials due to lack of patient cooperation will not be considered), or benefit summary from primary insurance must be secured prior to consideration of Financial Assistance eligibility.
- Insured patients up to 100 percent of Federal Poverty Guidelines will be considered for the Financial Assistance Program regardless of the account balance.
- Insured patients 101 percent to 400 percent of Federal Poverty Guidelines will be considered for the Financial Assistance Program.
Documents We Need to Help You
- Proof of application for state or other welfare programs if under 138% FPL
- Proof of hardship including:
- Recent month of Pay Stubs and/or other Source of Income (social security, unemployment, child support, alimony, etc.)
- Last month’s Bank Statements (include linked accounts, all pages)
- Last month’s/quarter’s statement from any Other Asset Accounts (i.e., insurance policies, investments, life insurance distribution, legal settlement funds, etc.)
- Prior Year Filed Tax Forms (1040 forms and corresponding schedules)
We will run a credit report to verify all the information provided on the application for the financial assistance program.
Your Financial Contribution
We work hard with every patient to arrange payment for care. However, even if you have a modest income, we expect everyone to contribute something to the cost of his or her care.
Copayments
- All patients are required to make a financial contribution towards their bill. Patients are subject to co-pay and/or cost share amount based on their specific Federal Poverty Level and Federal Poverty Guideline matrix.
- Patient co-pay amounts are to be paid in full when a statement for the amount is received. If approval is granted by Financial Assistance, copayments not paid will follow the normal billing process.
Collections Policy, Account Statements and Contact Attempts
If you do not pay what you owe for your services, you eventually will be turned over to a collection agency but only after several billing notices and attempts to contact you. We are always willing to work with patients who make reasonable efforts to pay for their care.
You will receive a series of written notices for your bills in the following order:
- An initial statement with a summary of your charges
- Four attempts to contact you
These contacts will occur over a 120-day period from the first attempt to contact you.
You will always have the ability to ask us for an itemized statement or contact a customer service employee about your bill.
If you have not submitted payment or made payment arrangements with us after the four written notices, we will send your account to a collection agency. Additionally, your account will be sent to a collection agency if you indicate at any time that you will not pay your bill or the written notices are returned due to an invalid address.
Hospital-Specific Amounts Generally Billed (AGB)
For each hospital, it is a percentage derived by dividing the sum all claims for medically necessary services provided at such hospital paid during the relevant period by Medicare-fee-for-service and all private insurances as primary payers, together with any associated portions of these claims paid by Medicare beneficiaries or insured individuals in the form of co-payments, co-insurance, or deductibles, by usual and customary charges for medically necessary services. (Total reimbursement ÷ Total Charges = Hospital Specific AGB Percentage). For more details, see Treasury Regulation 1-501r5(b)(1)9B.
Eligible FAP individuals may not be charged more than the Amounts Generally Billed (AGB) for emergency or other medically necessary care.
To obtain a physical copy of the policy, please call a Financial Assistance Specialist at 775-982-5747 or 1-855-951-6871. You can also visit a Financial Assistance Specialist at 10315 Professional Circle, Reno, NV 89521.