Practice Management Alert

You Be the Billing Expert:

Know When You Can Bill the Patient Directly

Published on Wed May 09, 2012

Question: I need to know if I can bill a patient for a supply (crutches) and not bill their insurance. We have an insurance company that is not paying us enough to cover the cost of the crutches. In this case, I know that Blue Cross covers the supply but the amount they allow is well under the cost to us for that supply. If I bill the insurance I am bound by our contract with them to write off the provider discounted amount, in which case our office will lose money. Is it ok if we let the patient know that his insurance will not cover our cost and then bill the patient instead?
New York Subscriber

Answer: Try your hand at answering the question and then compare your answer to the experts' in the next issue of Medical Office Billing & Collections Alert.

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