Billing, Collections, and Financial Assistance

Effective September 27th, 2017, Munising Memorial Hospital implemented a new credit and collections policy.

Policy Key Points

• Payment Arrangements
• Financial Assistance

If you need to apply for financial assistance please download the 
Financial Assistance Application. Please sign and mail this application to the hospital for our billing specialists to review. You can consult our Sliding Scale for Financial Assistance to see if you may qualify.

Financial Assistance and Charity Care Policy

POLICY

Munising Memorial Hospital is committed to the provision of health care services to all persons in need of medically necessary care regardless of ability to pay. In order to protect the integrity of operations and fulfill this commitment, the following criteria for the provision of financial assistance and charity care are established. These criteria will assist staff in making consistent objective decisions regarding eligibility for financial assistance and charity care while ensuring the maintenance of a sound financial base. This policy applies to all individuals who receive services from Munising Memorial Hospital, and from that, establish a financial obligation, except for services provided through Harbour View Assisted Living. Harbour View is a “for profit” service provided under ‘unrelated business income’ guidelines with the expectation that profits from Harbour View services will subsidize Munising Memorial patient care.

COMMUNICATIONS TO THE PUBLIC

Information about the MMH’s financial assistance and charity care policy shall be made publicly available as follows:

* A notice advising patients that MMH provides financial assistance and charity care shall be posted in key public areas of MMH, including Admissions, the Emergency Department, Clinic Office, and the Business Office.

* MMH will distribute a written notice about the availability of financial assistance and charity care to all patients. This will be done at the time that MMH requests information pertaining to third party coverage. The written notice also shall be verbally explained at this time. If for some reason, for example in an emergency situation, the patient is not notified of the existence of financial assistance and charity care before receiving treatment, he/she shall be notified in writing as soon as possible thereafter.

* Both written notice and verbal explanation shall be available in any language spoken by more than 10% of the population in the Hospital’s service area, and interpreted for other non-English speaking or limited-English speaking patients and for other patients who cannot understand the writing and/or explanation.

* MMH shall train front-line staff to answer financial assistance and charity care questions effectively or direct such inquiries to the appropriate department in a timely manner.

* Written notice about MMH’s financial assistance and charity care policy shall be made available to any person who requests the information, either by mail, by telephone or in person. MMH’s sliding fee schedule, if applicable, shall also be made available upon request.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

* Effective April 1, 2014, financial assistance for uninsured patients, once approved, will remain in effect until then end of the calendar year in which it was granted. Patients will be encouraged to purchase an affordable insurance plan during the next open enrollment period. If a patient chooses not to purchase affordable coverage, they will not be eligible for financial assistance in subsequent calendar years.

* Patients who have purchased insurance under the Affordable Care Act will be eligible to apply for financial assistance to aid in payment of plan deductibles, co-pays, and other non-covered, medically necessary charges.

* Time Frame for Final Determination and Appeals

o The responsible party may appeal a denial of eligibility for charity care by providing additional verification of income or family size to the Chief Financial Officer within 30 days of receipt of notification.

* If the patient or responsible party has paid some, or all of the bill, for medical services and is later found to have been eligible for financial assistance or charity care at the time services were provided, he/she shall be reimbursed for any amounts in excess of what is determined to be owed. The patient will be reimbursed within 30 days of receiving the financial assistance or charity care designation.

DOCUMENTATION AND RECORDS

* Confidentiality: All information relating to the application will be kept confidential. Copies of documents that support the application will be kept with the application form.

* Documents pertaining to financial assistance and charity care shall be retained for 5 years.

* This policy will be reviewed and updated annually.

Munising Memorial Hospital
Credit and Collections Policy:

The credit and collection policy of Munising Memorial Hospital is designed to preserve a sound financial basis for operations of the institutions in order that vital essential services may be obtained. The policy establishes a responsibility for the prompt collection of patient charges. This policy applies to all individuals who receive services from Munising Memorial Hospital, and from that, establish a financial obligation, except for services provided through Harbour View Assisted Living. Harbour View is a “for profit” service provided under ‘unrelated business income’ guidelines with the expectation that profits from Harbour View services will subsidize Munising Memorial patient care.

1. All charges are due at the time of service.

2. Payment may be made with cash or credit card. MMH accepts Visa and MasterCard.

3. If insurance benefits are not received within sixty (60) days from the billing date, the patient must pay the account or make credit arrangements with MMH.

4. Monthly installments are available if MMH’s minimum payment is met. The following minimum payments apply to the combined hospital/clinic total balance per guarantor:

Balance:                                Minimum Monthly Payment:
0 – $500                                  $50.00
$501 – 1000                           $75.00
$1001 – $2,000                      $100.00
$2001 +                                  at least 10% paid off in 18 months

5. An initial bill will be sent to the responsible party for the patient’s personal financial obligations.

6. MMH will issue subsequent billings at least every 30 days and for a minimum of 120 days after the initial bill before referring an account to an external collection agency. The patient will receive at least 3 billing statements and a “final notice” indicating that the account will be referred to an external agency when an acceptable payment has not been received or when an appropriate payment plan has not been established.

7. The statement or billing notices will be accompanied by telephone calls, collection letters, personal contact notices, and any other notification method that constitutes a genuine and responsible effort to contact the party responsible for the obligation.

8. Alternative payment plans may be approved through the executive administrative team on a case by case basis.

Michigan Medicaid Expansion mandates that we accept a payment in full 115% of our Medicare rate from UNINSURED patients whose household income is less than 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. To receive the current payment discount you must complete a brief application form. Uninsured Discount Application.

All charges are due at the time of service. To aid in your payment, a monthly installment plan is available. That plan must be established sometime within the billing schedule. The timeline for billing depends upon whether you have insurance coverage or will be paying for services yourself. MMH will issue bills/statements on the following schedule:

For patients with insurance

15 days                         Bill sent to insurance company/(s)

30-60 days                   1st statement sent to patient

60-90 days                   2nd statement sent to patient

90-120 days                 3rd statement sent to patient

*After 30 more days account turned over to an outside collection agency

For patients without insurance

15 days                           1st statement sent to patient

45 days                          2nd statement sent to patient

75 days                          3rd statement sent to patient

105 days                        4th statement sent to patient

*After 30 more days account is turned over to an outside collection agency

In order to qualify for Financial Assistance, patients must first exhaust other resources, including:

• group or individual medical plans
• worker’s compensation
• Medicare, Medicaid, or other medical assistance
• other state/federal/military programs
• third-party liability or any situation where another person/entity has a legal responsibility to pay for your medical services

Services that qualify for financial assistance include:

• emergency medical services (provided in the ER)
• non-elective services provided in response to life-threatening circumstances
• medically-necessary services, evaluated on a case-by-case basis at MMH’s discretion

If the items above accurately reflect your situation, ask a billing representative about financial assistance. You will be required to provide proper documentation to demonstrate need for assistance.

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