4 ms·

So what? Can't you just pay at the time of the visit and then file a claim? Your insurance should become retroactively available.

TheCoelacanth 5y ago
That works if you have thousands of dollars available to cover the bills until you get reimbursed.
- kenjackson 5y ago
  But, at least for the hospitals and doctor's I work with, they all have zero interest payment plans. It is extra work to deal with, but drastically reduces the cash outlay.
- kube-system 5y ago
  It is not uncommon for paperwork to be delayed when switching insurers. I've had it happen at previous employers. The normal course of action in this circumstance is that you pay the bill after your insurance paperwork is sorted out. If you go to the hospital and didn't know that your insurance expired, you probably won't even see a bill for a month, after the hospital gets the denied claim from your previous insurer. At which point, you'll give them the updated information, and they'll file the claim with the new insurer.
- woobar 5y ago
  Usually the first bill arrives 30+ days after the service. And by the time you get final notice to pay it will be 6-12 mos after the first bill. Not defending Intuit or MC here, but this situation is not exactly as it is painted in that Tweet. Considering there were no more publicity about this since tweet date (November 2021), it wasn't a big deal.
  - kccqzy 5y ago
    I've never experienced this idea of paying a provider 30+ days after the service. I've seen dentists, optometrists, PCPs, and whatever specialists PCPs have referred me to. If they determine that insurance won't cover 100%, I must pay the remainder to get any service at all. Sometimes I pay after the service is done but before leaving the premises; sometimes I must pay before service is rendered. So how do I get that 30-day+ float?
    - tschwimmer 5y ago
      Are you located in the United States? This hasn't been my experience. The closest I've had is the office manager determining that I would owe a co-pay or co-insurance and be asked to settle that day. It's always an option to decline and ask them to send you a bill in the mail, which usually does come a month later. What sort of service provider asked you to pre-pay?
      - lambic2 5y ago
        Yes, that is true if you have insurance, but if you don't have insurance most providers will require that you prepay in full.

TheCoelacanth 5y ago

That works if you have thousands of dollars available to cover the bills until you get reimbursed.

kenjackson 5y ago
But, at least for the hospitals and doctor's I work with, they all have zero interest payment plans. It is extra work to deal with, but drastically reduces the cash outlay.
kube-system 5y ago
It is not uncommon for paperwork to be delayed when switching insurers. I've had it happen at previous employers. The normal course of action in this circumstance is that you pay the bill after your insurance paperwork is sorted out. If you go to the hospital and didn't know that your insurance expired, you probably won't even see a bill for a month, after the hospital gets the denied claim from your previous insurer. At which point, you'll give them the updated information, and they'll file the claim with the new insurer.
woobar 5y ago
Usually the first bill arrives 30+ days after the service. And by the time you get final notice to pay it will be 6-12 mos after the first bill. Not defending Intuit or MC here, but this situation is not exactly as it is painted in that Tweet. Considering there were no more publicity about this since tweet date (November 2021), it wasn't a big deal.
- kccqzy 5y ago
  I've never experienced this idea of paying a provider 30+ days after the service. I've seen dentists, optometrists, PCPs, and whatever specialists PCPs have referred me to. If they determine that insurance won't cover 100%, I must pay the remainder to get any service at all. Sometimes I pay after the service is done but before leaving the premises; sometimes I must pay before service is rendered. So how do I get that 30-day+ float?
  - tschwimmer 5y ago
    Are you located in the United States? This hasn't been my experience. The closest I've had is the office manager determining that I would owe a co-pay or co-insurance and be asked to settle that day. It's always an option to decline and ask them to send you a bill in the mail, which usually does come a month later. What sort of service provider asked you to pre-pay?
    - lambic2 5y ago
      Yes, that is true if you have insurance, but if you don't have insurance most providers will require that you prepay in full.