First, you have had the chance to review your options, have made your decision and signed your contract for your insurance policy! If you are curious what is/what is not covered and you don’t want to be surprised by a potentially high bill, call your insurance company and go over your coverage for the services you are looking to have covered. Knowledge is power in this case!
Before you call make sure to:
- Write down all your questions, so you don’t forget to ask something important.
-Have your insurance card, bills, receipts and Explanation of Benefits (EOBs) in front of you.
During your call make sure to:
-Write down the number, date, time and customer agent you are talking to.
-If you don’t understand something, its okay to ask questions.
Secondly, this will help to fix discrepancies before you are treated! We are only good as what we are told and we are frequently told the wrong thing. At Bettendorf Chiropractic Wellness Center, we do a verification of benefits as a courtesy to our patients in order to be as transparent as possible about expected financial responsibility. However, we are quite often given the wrong information! This can lead to a lot of frustration when the insurance processes differently than was expected and can really mess up the payment plan that has been laid out. Ultimately, the contract is between you and them, not us and them. If you get different information than we do, it’s much easier to sort it out prior to billing for visits.
Understand your policy! This is a must. If you don't understand it, have them explain the insurance lingo. If you are confused about the “terms and conditions” of your plan, have them clarify this information to you! Don’t be afraid to ask for a supervisor if you need more clarification.
Record everything! It’s important in the case of a dispute. Always get a name of the person you spoke with and a reference number. That way they are held accountable for any information they tell you. In the unfortunate event that the information that you were given is incorrect, having the name of the person that gave you that information can be very helpful. This will give you some support if you have to dispute charges.
After your call:
-Put the notes from your call, plus any papers or emails from your insurance company in a folder for safe keeping.
-Keep this folder where you can get to it easily.
Ultimately you are responsible for what the insurance will and will not cover. While we do everything in our power to have a clear view of the financial picture of your care, we are seeing more and more insurance companies give us incorrect information. This leads to a lot of frustration on the part of the patient as well as a lot of awkward conversations in our office. We HIGHLY recommend, suggest, beg, plea, pray, ask, etc. that all patients call their insurance when they start care and if their insurance changes. We never want finances to stand in the way of care and being able to navigate the insurance game is the first step! As always, we are more than happy to answer any and all insurance questions that you may have.