Financial Information

As part of our healing ministry, St. John's Mercy Health Care is committed to providing quality health care services to patients regardless of their financial situation. We offer payment assistance for those who do not have insurance or who are in financial need. Visit our Financial Assistance/Charity Care information page for more information.

Your bill reflects all of the services you have received during your stay at St. John's Mercy. Charges fall into two categories: a basic daily rate, which includes your room, meals, nursing care, housekeeping, telephone and television, and charges for special services, which include items ordered by your physicians, such as X-rays or laboratory tests.

Professional Charges
You may receive separate bills for certain tests and treatments for professional services rendered by pathologists, radiologists, cardiologists, anesthesiologists and other specialists. These physicians, who may be needed to diagnose and interpret test results, are required by the government and insurance carriers to bill you separately. Some physician specialists may not participate in your health plan and you may be responsible for part or all of their bills. If you have questions about these bills, please call the specialist's office directly. The telephone number is printed on the statement.

Insurance Claims
Please familiarize yourself with the terms of your health care plan. This will help you understand the Medical Center's billing procedures and charges. Your insurance policy is a contract between you and your insurance company. As a courtesy, the Medical Center will submit bills to your insurance company and will assist you in receiving the full benefit of your health insurance plan. Please remember that payment of your bill is your responsibility. The Medical Center has several payment options available to assist you. If there is a question about your health care coverage, a hospital representative will contact you or a member of your family during your stay to obtain the necessary information. We also provide several options for patients who receive services without the benefit of insurance coverage to address differences in payment requirements.

Co-Insurance
Your insurance card, presented upon registration, helps the Medical Center to work directly with your insurance company. Depending upon the extent of your coverage and deductible requirements, you may have been asked to pay a co-payment/out-of-pocket expense or deposit. You are asked to assign benefits from the insurance company directly to the Medical Center to facilitate billing for the health care services you are receiving.

HMOs and PPOs
Your plan may have special requirements, such as a second surgical opinion or pre-certification for certain procedures. It is your responsibility to make sure your plan's requirements have been met. If such requirements are not followed, you may be financially responsible for all or part of the services rendered in the hospital. Some physician specialists may not participate in your health care plan and their services may not be fully covered.

Patient Insurance Consultant
If you have questions about insurance claim forms, medical bills, insurance payments or information you have received from your insurance company, you may call our patient insurance consultant at 314-251-5722 or extension 15722 to make an appointment. Consultation is free of charge, and the office is located in the Mercy Doctors Building on the ground floor.

Medicare
Your Medicare card was presented upon registration to verify eligibility and facilitate processing your Medicare claim. Please note that the Medicare program specifically excludes payment for certain items and services, such as cosmetic surgery, some oral surgery procedures, personal comfort items, hearing evaluations and others. These non-covered charges, as well as deductibles and co-payments, are your financial responsibility.

Medicaid
Presenting your Medicaid card upon registration helps us to process your patient account effectively because the card contains information for identifying St. John's Mercy as a participant in your health care plan.

Third Party Liability (TPL)             
If you are a Medicare or Champus/Tricare patient and you have been involved in an accident where there is third party liability insurance, you will be requested to complete a TPL form. These forms are available in Admitting, Cashier and Financial Counselor offices. Medicare and Champus/Tricare require the third party liability insurance to be billed as primary.

Financial Counseling
Financial Counselors are available to assist you while you are a patient in the Medical Center. To reach a financial counselor, call extension 13832. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Payment Options
Patient balances are due within 15 days after you receive your bill. Here are your options:

• Full payment may be made by cash, VISA, Discover or MasterCard. Please visit our Billing Center to make payments online (www.stjohnsmercy.org/services/billing/).
• Other arrangements may be made by contacting a financial counselor or the Patient Accounting department.

We also seek alternatives for patients in temporary financial need and those uninsured patients who cannot afford full payment of their hospital charges. Payment plans and, if appropriate, bill reductions are offered to patients with demonstrated need or an inability to pay.

To reach Patient Accounting from home, call 314-364-4200. If you live outside the area, call toll-free 800-833-0799. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.