balance billing patient

Coder-To-Coder Forum

balance billing patient

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betty dively 08-15-2008, 6:20 AM

This is not really a coding question but this has come up several times.  I realize each state is different but does anybody know in the state of Florida if we can balance bill a patient after auto pays and the patient does not have a secondary insurance.  Thanks

Re: balance billing patient

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Barb S. 08-15-2008, 7:41 AM
I'm not in Florida, so can't comment on their laws. However, whether you can balance bill a patient depends partly on if your have a contract with the patient's insurance carrier and what that contract says. Medicare for instance does not allow balance billing. When your provider agreed to serve Medicare pateints he/she entered into a contract which does not allow balance billing. Our Medical Group has contracts with some carriers in our area and not with others...so depending on that, we may or may not balance bill. I would think the same applies no matter what state you're in.

Re: balance billing patient

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betty dively 08-15-2008, 8:20 AM
I'm only referring to auto accident patients.  If after auto accident pays and the patient has health insurance we file that as secondary for the remaining balance.  However there are times when patients have only auto and they do not pay in full-can we balance bill the patient

Re: balance billing patient

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constance 08-15-2008, 8:50 PM
if you do not have a contract with the auto carrier then pt. can be balance billed