Financial FAQs
Financial Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I Have Questions About My Bill; Who Can I Contact?
A: Chesapeake Urology’s patient accounting liaisons are available to answer your questions and provide financial information and assistance. Please call 443-738-2874 or toll-free at 866-681-2335, Monday- Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Q: Where Can I Find a Copy of Chesapeake Urology’s Financial Policy?
A: Patients can access Chesapeake Urology’s financial policy on the website under Patient Resources or by clicking HERE. You will also receive a copy of the financial policy from your physician’s office prior to any scheduled appointments or procedures.
Q: How May I Pay Any Balances That I Owe?
A: You may pay by check or credit card. If you need assistance in paying for the care we provide to you, Chesapeake Urology offers a number of payment options. These include CareCredit, an independent medical credit card payment program; Chesapeake Urology Associates payment plan guaranteed with your credit card; financial assistance through local and state agencies; and a pharmacy assistance program.
Q: Why Did I Receive a Bill(s) From Healthcare Facilities/Providers Outside of Chesapeake Urology?
A: Your statement will include all Chesapeake Urology physician/provider fees, Summit Ambulatory Surgery Center fees, and fees for other services provided by Chesapeake Urology including in-house pathology. You may also receive separate bills for other services provided by non-Chesapeake Urology/outside providers and facilities including:
- Hospital fees – Including operating room charges, anesthesiology fees, and surgical assistants
- Radiology – Including MRIs, CT scans, and X-rays
- Outside laboratory – Lab services performed by an outside lab such as from Quest or LabCorp
- Anesthesiology fees – Anesthesiology services, which are often performed by a third party anesthesiology group (Chesapeake Urology contracts with First Colonies Anesthesia)
- Physical therapy – Physical therapy services performed outside of Chesapeake Urology
- Other surgical-assisted services – Procedures that require the use of laparoscopic or robotic services
Q: Why Am I Receiving More Than One Charge on My Chesapeake Urology Bill for a Particular Procedure or Surgery?
A: Many procedures include multiple components and charges are based on the actual services provided during your surgery. For example, more complex procedures may require more than one surgeon to be present, in which case you will see charges for each surgeon on your bill.
Q: How Will I Know if I Have an Outstanding Balance?
A: Our office will provide you with monthly statements of all account activity and balances to help you stay informed of payments due as well as payments made to your account. If you need assistance with your account or need help making payments, our patient accounting liaisons are available to help you take care of any outstanding balances. Please call 443-738-2874 or toll-free at 866-681-2335, Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Q: Will You Bill My Insurance Plan For Services Provided?
A: Yes. As a courtesy to our patients, we will submit a claim on your behalf to insurance plans with which we are contracted (where we are considered a participating provider). Prior to your visit, we will also verify your member eligibility with your insurance plan. Patients will be responsible for paying any co-pays, coinsurance, deductibles or outstanding balances prior to appointments or procedures. It’s important that you understand your individual health insurance plan and benefits. We recommend that you call the customer service number on the back of your insurance card, or contact your employer’s benefits department, to verify insurance coverage and to understand what your plan does and does not cover.
Q: I Do Not Have Health Insurance Coverage and Need Help Paying My Bill. Can I Receive Financial Assistance?
A: There are several payment options available for eligible patients, including CareCredit, which is a healthcare credit card that has special financing options to help patients pay off medical expenses over time. Our patient accounting liaisons can also provide you with information on financial assistance through local and state agencies and help eligible patients (including uninsured, under-insured, and self-pay patients) find and obtain funding to help with medical expenses.
In addition, our Summit Ambulatory Surgical Center is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those uninsured and underinsured, have access to emergency and medically necessary care. For those individuals who qualify as “medically indigent patients,” (those with no or inadequate means of paying for needed care under current methods of financing health care services) the Charity Care Policy may apply.
Chesapeake Urology can also provide eligible patients with a payment plan using a personal credit card. Our patient accounting liaisons are available to assist you with billing questions as well as with finding financial resources should you need to apply for medical assistance.
Q: What Is a Copay?
A: A copayment, or copay, is the fixed amount you pay for a healthcare service as determined by your individual health insurance plan. You will be required to pay any copays prior to your appointment or a procedure. For your information, copay amounts are often displayed on the front of your insurance card. Please contact your insurance plan with any questions regarding your copay.
Q: What Is Coinsurance?
A: Coinsurance is your share of the cost of the service received as determined by your individual insurance plan. You pay a stated percentage of medical expenses after the deductible amount, if any, was paid.
Q: What Is a Deductible?
A: A deductible is an amount an insured person pays before their insurance plan makes payments for covered medical services. Plans may have both individual and family deductibles.
Q: What Is a Referral and Why Do I Need One?
A: Some insurance plans require you to have a referral from your primary care physician in order to see a specialist such as a urologist. Patients are required to obtain referrals from their primary care physician’s office prior to scheduling an appointment with a Chesapeake Urology physician. Please check with your individual insurance plan to see if a referral is necessary. We require your referral at the time of service in order to submit a bill to your insurance company on your behalf. For this reason, patients who do not have a referral will need to reschedule their appointments.
Q: Does Chesapeake Urology Accept My Insurance?
A: Chesapeake Urology participates with many of the major health insurance plans including Medicare and Medicaid. Check HERE to see if we currently accept your insurance plan.
Q: Where Do I Go For More Information on the Patient Portability and Affordable Care Act and the Healthcare Exchanges?
A: To learn more about health insurance through the healthcare exchanges created as a result of the Patient Portability and Affordable Care Act, you can visit the following websites:
- Maryland Healthcare Exchange – http://marylandhealthconnection.gov/
- Delaware Healthcare Exchange – http://www.choosehealthde.com/Health-Insurance
- Washington DC Healthcare Exchange – https://dchealthlink.com/
- National Healthcare Exchange – https://www.healthcare.gov/
Q: Where Do I Go for Information on My Individual Insurance Plan?
A: For information on your individual health insurance coverage, please call the customer service number on the back of your insurance card to verify coverage and to check which services your plan does and does not cover. Your employer’s benefits department may be another good resource for you if you have questions about an employer-based insurance plan.
Q: Am I Responsible for the Balance That My Insurance Does Not Pay?
A: If we participate with your insurance plan then you are responsible for any deductibles, copays, or coinsurance as determined by your insurance plan. You will also be required to pay the full amount for any non-covered services that we may provide to you. If we do not participate with your insurance plan then you are responsible for any amounts not paid by your insurance plan. We encourage you to call your insurance carrier prior to your appointment or procedure to verify what services will be covered and what you will be responsible for paying.
Q: What Is Chesapeake Urology’s Cancellation Policy?
A: As a courtesy to our staff and other patients, we ask all patients to cancel appointments at least 24 business hours in advance of your scheduled service. Missed appointments and failure to cancel appointments within this time frame will result in a $25 missed appointment charge, which is not covered by insurance. For missed appointments at a Summit Surgical Center, a $100 missed appointment fee will be charged. The Vasectomy Reversal Center of America has different cancellation policies. These Chesapeake Urology affiliates require a two-week cancellation notice to avoid a $500 late cancellation fee.
Q: If I Have Private Health Insurance in Addition to Medicare, Will You Bill Both Carriers for Services?
A: Yes. Please present both insurance cards when you arrive for your scheduled appointment.
Q: Do I Pay Copays and Deductibles Before My Scheduled Appointments and Procedures if I Have Medicare?
A: Yes. Just like with private health insurance Medicare patients should pay all copays and deductibles, as well as any outstanding balances by the date of your service prior to your scheduled appointment to avoid the risk of canceled or delayed services. A member of Chesapeake Urology’s patient accounting team will contact you in advance of your scheduled service regarding your estimated payment due and to make necessary payment arrangements.
Q: If I Pay My Patient Responsibility Before My Surgery and Am Owed a Refund, How Will I Get Back the Money That Is Owed to Me?
A: If you have overpaid your estimated patient responsibility (co-pay, coinsurance, or deductible), Chesapeake Urology will process your refund after the claims for your procedure have been fully processed by your insurance company.
Q: Who Do I Contact if My Insurance Information Changes?
A: Please notify us immediately if your insurance plan changes. Timely disclosure regarding changes to your insurance plan is vital as some insurance plans will not pay for services if they are not billed within 60 to 90 days of service. Late notification of a change to your insurance can cause us to miss this important window for submitting your insurance claim, which can result in denial of coverage by your insurance carrier.
Q: Who Should I Contact if I Have a Dispute or Question Regarding My Bill?
A: Chesapeake Urology’s patient accounting liaisons are available to assist you with any billing questions. Please call 443-738-2874 or toll-free at 866-681-2335, Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for assistance. We ask that any grievances regarding a billing matter be sent to our office in writing within 60 days of receiving your bill. A member of our team will contact you to discuss and resolve any grievances.