Getting medical care always means getting bills, which are often big and hard to understand. Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) is one of the best Massachusetts safety net healthcare systems. It gives everyone in metro Boston access to high-quality care, no matter how much money they have. But CHA still depends on medical bills being paid on time to keep their business going. It is important for both insured and uninsured CHA patients to understand their bills and payment options in order to stay in good financial standing.

In this article we’ll break down how CHA medical billing works and provide tips for keeping your account in order through secure online payments or financial assistance programs. Read on to learn how to successfully manage CHA medical bills.

Receiving Your CHA Medical Bill

After receiving care at CHA, you’ll get a medical bill outlining the services provided and your balance due. If you have health insurance, CHA will bill your insurance provider directly and you will only pay any remaining balance after insurance processes the claim Uninsured patients are billed the full charge amount Bills are sent monthly and payment is due within 30 days of the statement date.

Medical bills can be long and hard to understand because they use a lot of billing codes. Pay attention to the section that summarizes your account number, dates of service, charges, payments, and the amount you owe. This summarizes everything you need to know to pay your bill.

Online Bill Pay With MyCHArt

The easiest way to view and pay your CHA medical bill is through the MyCHArt online patient portal. MyCHArt gives you 24/7 access to your CHA medical records and billing information in one secure location.

To pay online, login to your MyCHArt account and select “Pay Bill” from the menu. Here you can view your account balance, make one-time payments, set up payment plans, and more For convenience, you can save a credit/debit card or bank account in MyCHArt to pay bills faster in the future.

If you don’t have a MyCHArt account, you can make one-time payments as a guest using your guarantor ID from your statement. However, setting up an account is recommended for accessing your full billing history and payment options.

Paying by Phone, Mail or In-Person

If you prefer not to pay medical bills online, CHA offers other payment methods:

• Phone – Call 617-665-3200 to speak with a representative or use the automated phone payment system.

• Mail – Send a check or money order to the address printed on your statement. Allow 7-10 days for mail delivery.

• In-person – Visit the Patient Access office at your CHA location to pay by cash, check, credit/debit card, or money order.

While less convenient than online payments, these options accommodate patients without computer access or who prefer alternative payment methods.

Payment Plans and Financial Assistance

If you are unable to pay your full balance due, CHA can help in two ways:

1. Payment plans – CHA offers no-interest payment plans to split balances into smaller monthly payments. Enroll online or by calling the number on your statement.

2. Financial assistance – Uninsured or underinsured patients who qualify based on income criteria may receive discounted or free care through financial assistance programs.

Whether you need more time to pay or financial relief, CHA aims to help patients manage medical bills without accruing debt or losing access to care. Explore these options if paying your full balance poses a hardship.

Collections Process for Unpaid Bills

If your CHA medical bill remains unpaid after 90 days, your account will be referred to an outside collection agency. Once in collections, the agency will contact you to resolve your unpaid balance, which now includes collection fees. To avoid collections and additional fees, be proactive about addressing unpaid medical bills with CHA early on.

Make payment arrangements through MyCHArt, enroll in a payment plan, apply for financial assistance, or contact CHA’s Patient Access department for help getting your account up to date. Leaving medical bills unpaid can damage your finances and credit score, so work with CHA as soon as possible if you anticipate problems paying.

Key Tips for Managing Medical Bills

Managing medical bills can be complicated, but following these tips will help you stay on top of your CHA account:

• Review statements promptly and highlight unclear charges to ask CHA about.
• Pay bills on time to avoid late fees – enroll in autopay through MyCHArt for convenience.
• Save your statements to refer to for payment questions and tax purposes.
• If uninsured, ask for an itemized bill upfront to review charges before care.
• Inform CHA promptly of any insurance or address changes that could impact billing.
• Speak up about billing issues or errors – CHA’s billing team is there to help!

In Summary

Receiving medical care leads to medical bills – there’s no way around it. But paying your CHA bills promptly is key to maintaining access to care and your financial health. Use MyCHArt for secure online bill pay, phone payments, mail, or in-person options to pay on time every month. And seek help early for payment plans or financial assistance if you anticipate problems paying – don’t wait for an account to go to collections. Staying on top of your CHA medical bills ensures you continue receiving high-quality care when you need it most.