Billing Policies
We continually strive to contain costs, while maintaining our commitment to excellence in medical care, by ensuring that every effort is made to collect monies owed to St. Francis-Emory Healthcare for services provided.
Patients are responsible for services received. However, to assist patients in meeting their financial obligations, the hospital will bill their health insurance carrier(s) for them, as long as a valid ID card and/or information regarding insurance coverage is presented at the time of registration.
The hospital accepts assignment of benefits and maintains an active follow-up program with all insurance carriers. Insurance is billed as a courtesy to the patient and the patient remains responsible for contacting their insurance carrier to ensure prompt payment of their accounts. Patients should contact their insurance carrier if payment has not be received within 45 days from their date of service. Accounts with balances due will be billed to the patient, regardless of pending insurance benefits. Accounts with delinquent balances or without adequate payment arrangements may be forwarded to a collection agency.
At the patient's request, a detailed bill may be provided. The hospital will send periodic statements to the patient or responsible party in an effort to keep them informed as to the status of all open accounts.
Please contact our Patient Business Services at 706-596-4412 for more details.
Payment Options
Unpaid balances, including all applicable co-payments, co-insurance, deductibles and any non-covered services are the responsibility of the patient and must be paid within 30 days of receipt of their statement. Payments may be made via:
- Cash, check, or money order
- Visa
- Discover
- American Express
- Mastercard
It is important to remember that health insurance coverage varies and some services may not be covered. If you think you may qualify for financial assistance, please contact our Patient Business Services at 706-596-4412.
Insurance Policies
We bill all commercial insurance carriers and government programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, Veterans Administration, etc. for inpatient and outpatient services. Complete and accurate insurance billing information is required from your insurance carrier or employer at time of registration.
We accept assignment of benefits and maintain an active follow-up program with all insurance carriers. We bill you insurance as a courtesy. If your insurance has not resolved your account within 45 days of your service date, please contact your insurance carrier to ensure prompt payment on your account. Patients are responsible for any charges not covered by insurance.
Self Pay
Patients who are uninsured or fail to provide us with adequate billing information are responsible for payment of their bill. If you have questions, need to make payment arrangements, or think you may qualify for financial assistance, please contact Patient Business Services at 706-596-4412.
Financial Assistance Programs
In keeping with our mission and core values, St. Francis Hospital is committed to providing health care for people regardless of their ability to pay. We recognize that medical bills may be difficult to pay and can create a hardship for you and your family. If you do not have health insurance and are concerned that you may be unable to pay for all or part of your health care services, you may apply for financial assistance by contacting Patient Business Services at (706) 596-4412.
We will work with you to see if you qualify for Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, uninsured discounts, an interest-free payment plan or our Financial Assistance Program. If you qualify for financial assistance, some or all of your fees may be lowered.
To be considered for financial assistance, you must complete our financial assistance application and provide all required financial documents as well as a copy of your Health Insurance Exchange (HIE) application confirmation. If you have not applied for health insurance, you may apply via telephone by calling 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325) or online at www.HealthCare.gov.