Demystifying Paying Your Hospital Bill: A Guide for Reading Hospital Patients

Let me start by saying, I feel your pain. Dealing with medical bills can be confusing and stressful. As someone who has gone through my own healthcare payment woes I wanted to write this plain English guide to help Reading Hospital patients tackle their bills with less anxiety.

That Dreaded Hospital Bill Arrives. Now What?

You or your loved one was recently discharged from Reading Hospital. As you breathe that sigh of relief for getting past that health crisis, here comes another source of worry – the hospital bill.

I totally get it Seeing that amount due – maybe in the thousands or tens of thousands – is enough to make your palms sweat The multiple pages detailing charges line-by-line in medical code make your head spin,

Take a deep breath with me. Financial anxieties after a hospital stay are normal. But getting educated on your bill, your payment options, and financial assistance available can help you file this away and move forward.

Let’s break this down step-by-step so you feel empowered, not overwhelmed.

Step 1: Understanding Your Hospital Bill

Your Reading Hospital bill has a story to tell if you know how to interpret it. I’ll walk you through the sections so you understand what you’re being asked to pay for.

Details of Services Rendered

This meaty section shows your itemized charges – every bandage, pill, and procedure you received from check-in to discharge.

You’ll see:

• Date, time, and location of each service
• Description of each service (often in medical shorthand)
• Charge for each service

Don’t get hung up trying to decipher the medical lingo for now

Patient Responsibility

This shows what you owe out-of-pocket based on what your insurance covered. Key things to check:

• Were all your services submitted to insurance?
• Did insurance cover services as expected?
• Does your patient responsibility seem accurate?

If anything seems off, this section is your clue to inquire or appeal.

Summary Page

The last page tallies up what you were charged, payments received, and the remaining balance you must pay.

Once you’ve validated charges and insurance payments, this bottom line tells you what you still owe.

Arming yourself with an understanding of all these components puts you in a great position to tackle paying that balance.

Step 2: Know Your Payment Options

Just because you have a large hospital bill doesn’t mean you have to pay it all at once. Reading Hospital offers flexible payment plans tailored to your financial situation – including interest-free loans.

And don’t worry, outstanding medical bills do NOT affect your credit score. Your payment activity isn’t reported to credit bureaus.

Here are smart options to consider:

Payment Plans

You can pay off your balance over 6-24 months through Reading Hospital’s no-interest payment plans. Each month, you simply pay a portion until it’s fully paid.

Payment plans give you financial breathing room while keeping you penalty-free. As long as you pay each month, you’re in good standing.

Medical Loans

For larger balances, Reading Hospital can set you up with a fixed-term loan at competitive rates through their partner Medical Financial Solutions.

These unsecured personal loans make managing healthcare expenses easier. There’s a fixed monthly payment and interest rate. And because payments are spread out over years instead of months, the monthly cost is lower.

Financial Assistance

If these options still stretch your budget too far, don’t panic. Reading Hospital has financial assistance programs that cover all or part of eligible patients’ responsibilities.

In 2021 alone, they provided over $68 million in financial assistance!

More on how that works coming up next.

Step 3: See If You Qualify for Financial Assistance

Reading Hospital wants to ensure you get the care you need regardless of your financial situation. That’s why they offer three tiers of financial assistance:

Charity Care

If your household income is 300% or less of the Federal Poverty Level, your entire Reading Hospital bill may be forgiven. For a family of 4 in 2022, that means earning $83,250 a year or less.

Uninsured Discount

Don’t have health insurance? No problem. Uninsured patients automatically get a 37% discount off their bills just for being uninsured.

Hardship Discount

If your income exceeds the Charity Care threshold, you may still qualify for discounted rates based on financial hardship. Reading Hospital looks at your full financial picture to determine an appropriate discount.

As you can see, Reading Hospital provides generous assistance to take weight off patients’ shoulders.

In 2021, they provided over $68 million in financial assistance and discounts to more than 6,600 patients!

So don’t assume you make too much money. Apply to see if you qualify and what discount they can offer.

Step 4: Apply for Financial Assistance

Applying for financial assistance at Reading Hospital is quick and easy. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Determine Your Eligibility

Use Reading Hospital’s income guidelines to confirm you meet income requirements.

2. Gather Documentation

Pull together personal documents to verify income, assets, expenses, and Pennsylvania residency. Their documentation checklist tells you exactly what to provide.

3. Submit Your Application

Access the application online through MyTowerHealth or request a paper application. Send completed documents to Reading Hospital’s Revenue Services department.

Within 30 days, they’ll confirm if you qualify for full charity care, a hardship discount, or uninsured discount.

If approved, they’ll adjust your responsibility accordingly or wipe the slate clean! Then you can work on setting up any remaining payments.

In Closing

I know hospital bills can be intimidating. But hopefully breaking down the billing and payment process for Reading Hospital puts you at ease.

You now know:

• How to interpret what you’re being charged
• Flexible payment options that fit your budget
• Financial assistance available if you qualify

Remember, you’re not alone. Reading Hospital helped over 6,600 patients last year through discounts and charity care. Their expert Revenue Services team is here to guide you at every step.

So reach out with any questions or to get started on your application today. Here’s to tackling that hospital bill once and for all!