Frequently Asked Questions

• What if I can’t afford to pay my bill?
• My doctor wants me to have a test done at the Hospital. I am worried because I don’t have the money to pay the bill. What should I do?
• Why did I receive a bill from a physician that I don’t remember ever seeing?
• I was never at The Reading Hospital and Medical Center. Why are you sending me a bill for laboratory services?
• When can I expect to receive a bill from the Hospital?
• I received a questionnaire from my insurance company. It is asking me if someone else is liable for my bill. What does that mean and do I really have to complete this form?
• I received a questionnaire from my insurance company. They are asking me about ‘coordination of benefits’ information. What does that mean? Do I really have to complete and return this form?
• My insurance company didn’t pay my bill and I know that I have this coverage? Why did they reject this bill?
• What happens if I don’t agree with my insurance company on their determination of not covering my bill? Do I still have to pay the Hospital?
• Why are you asking for my automobile insurance carrier information? I wasn’t in a car accident. I only got my finger caught in the car door!
• I was injured in a car accident. It was the other driver’s fault. It doesn’t seem fair that you are billing this service to my automobile insurance company.

What if I can’t afford to pay my bill?

If you feel that you can’t afford to pay your Hospital bill, the first thing you should do is call us at 610-988-5820 to let us know about your situation. Your communication to us is an important key to resolving your billing concerns.
Payment in full is requested upon receipt of your bill. However, we will be happy to work with you to resolve your balance if you are unable to make a full payment immediately. The following options may be available to you.

• A monthly payment plan – Based on the amount of your bill in combination with your financial situation, we will arrange a monthly amount that is mutually agreeable. Again, it is important for you to call us to make this request.
• Information about ACCESS (Insurance through the Department of Public Assistance) You may be a candidate for health insurance coverage through the State of Pennsylvania. We will assist you in applying for this benefit if you have a bill related to an inpatient stay. For those patients who have unpaid bills for outpatient services, we direct you to contact the Depart of Public Assistance for an appointment. The department can be reached by calling 610-736-4211.
• Patients who are ineligible for ACCESS – If you do not qualify for Access, you may qualify for our Patient Financial Assistance program. This program was designed to assist patients who do not qualify for Access, but who would find it very difficult to pay their hospital expenses out of their own pocket. These patients benefit from the program because there is a possibility that their bill may be reduced to a more affordable level. Patients qualify for this program by providing us with information about their household income and the number of people living in their household. If you would like to obtain an application for Patient Financial Assistance or if you would like to learn more how to qualify for this option, our Call Center staff would be happy to assist you. Please contact them at 610-988-5820.
• CHIP: Pennsylvania’s Children’s Health Insurance Program If you are a working family but do not have health insurance for your children, you may be able to get healthcare coverage for the children free or at a low cost. CHIP is not a welfare program. CHIP is administered by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, but the coverage is through regular health insurance companies. This program can cover children up until their 19th birthday. Please call 1-811-989-KIDS to find out if you qualify for this benefit, or call the Hospital’s Referral & Information Services 610-988-HELP for a brochure and application form.

My doctor wants me to have a test done at the Hospital. I am worried because I don’t have the money to pay the bill. What should I do?

Contact us to find out the cost of the test and to let us know about your concerns. Call or e-mail the Hospital’s Business Office Call Center.

You may also qualify for the options mentioned above, and we can help you get started with these.

Why did I receive a bill from a physician that I don’t remember ever seeing?

There are many services at the Hospital that you may receive which might have a professional fee associated with it. For example, if you come to the Hospital for an x-ray, you can expect to see a bill or statement from West Reading Radiology Associates. West Reading Radiology Associates are the physicians who read and interpret your x-rays. In reality, you may never have seen the radiologist who is billing you, but he or she interpreted your x-ray and reported those findings back to your physician who ordered the test. Some of the common physician groups that you may become familiar with as a result of receiving a test at the Hospital include: Reading Anesthesia Associates, Reading Professional Services, and Cardiology Associates of West Reading.

I was never at The Reading Hospital and Medical Center. Why are you sending me a bill for laboratory services?

It is often confusing to patients if they know they were not physically present on campus on a certain date for which they are receiving a bill. Usually, the answer is that, when you were a patient in your doctor’s office, he or she obtained a blood or urine specimen which was then sent to the Hospital laboratory for processing. For those services, you will receive a bill from The Reading Hospital and Medical Center.

• Examples of these types of situations include:
• Women who visit their gynecologist and have a Pap smear.
• Patients who visit the dermatologist and have a skin lesion removed.
• Patients who visit their primary care doctor for a throat culture.

When can I expect to receive a bill from the Hospital?

Your type of insurance will affect when you actually receive a bill from the Hospital. Typically, we will send you a bill after your insurance company has processed the bill with either a payment or rejection. There might be times when your insurance has not responded to our request for payment, and you may be asked to become actively involved in resolving the open balance.

I received a questionnaire from my insurance company. It is asking me if someone else is liable for my bill. What does that mean and do I really have to complete this form?

Yes. You must complete this form, or your insurance company will not pay your bills. Sometimes if an insurance company notices that the diagnosis on the bill is the result of an accident, the insurance company will want more information to determine if someone else or another insurance company should be paying the bill.

I received a questionnaire from my insurance company. They are asking me about ‘coordination of benefits’ information. What does that mean? Do I really have to complete and return this form?

Yes. Any requests for information from your insurance company are very important. Coordination of benefits means that your insurance company thinks that you may be covered by another insurance plan in addition to their coverage. By sending you the questionnaire, they are trying to determine which insurance is responsible for paying your bills first. Please remember, if you don’t return the information, your bill will not be paid.

My insurance company didn’t pay my bill and I know that I have this coverage? Why did they reject this bill?

Your best resource to answer this question is your insurance company. If you call the Hospital’s Business Office Call Center, we will have limited information available to us. Please update our Call Center with any information that you obtain from your insurance company in respect to their rejection reason.

What happens if I don’t agree with my insurance company on their determination of not covering my bill? Do I still have to pay the Hospital?

Yes. You are still responsible to pay the Hospital bill even if you disagree with your insurance company on its determination of nonpayment for the service. At the time of each service, our patients sign a document, which indicates that, upon receipt of a bill from the Hospital, they will pay the bill. However, you are empowered to pursue your disagreement with your insurance company through a formal grievance process. Most insurance companies have outlined the grievance procedure in your benefits pamphlet.

Why are you asking for my automobile insurance carrier information? I wasn’t in a car accident. I only got my finger caught in the car door!

It comes as a surprise to many people that any injury incurred relating to a car must be submitted to the patient’s automobile insurance. Your health insurance is not responsible for paying for services that are the result of an automobile-related incident.

I was injured in a car accident. It was the other driver’s fault. It doesn’t seem fair that you are billing this service to my automobile insurance company.

Many of our patients feel that this practice is not fair. However, Pennsylvania is a “no fault” state. That means that regardless of who was at fault, the bills for injuries are submitted to your automobile insurance company.

For more information, contact:

Business Office Call Center

The Reading Hospital and Medical Center
Sixth Avenue and Spruce Street
West Reading, PA 19611
610-988-5820
callcenter@readinghospital.org