Paying Your Bill at Anne Arundel Medical Center: A Complete Guide

Paying your medical bills can be confusing and stressful especially if you receive care at a large hospital system like Anne Arundel Medical Center. This article will provide a comprehensive guide to understanding and paying your Anne Arundel Medical Center bill.

Overview of Anne Arundel Medical Center

Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) is part of the Luminis Health system one of the largest health systems in Maryland. AAMC has multiple locations in Annapolis Maryland and provides a full range of medical services including emergency care, cancer treatment, cardiovascular care, orthopedics, women’s health, and more.

Like most large hospitals AAMC bills for services across multiple departments. When you receive care at AAMC you can expect to get separate bills from the hospital, physicians, labs, radiology, and other departments involved in your care. This can make paying your total bill confusing, but this article will break it down step-by-step.

Receiving the Bill

The hospital bill from AAMC includes charges for the facility, equipment, supplies, and hospital staff. Physician bills include charges for the physicians who saw you. Radiology bills are for X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, or other imaging services. You may also get bills from independent physician groups the hospital contracts with.

Bills are sent by mail or email after your insurance has processed the claim. You will get a bill for any balance after insurance. If you have no insurance, you will get a bill for the full amount.

Bills may trickle in over weeks or months. As soon as you get a bill, you should begin the payment process. Unpaid bills will be sent to collections which can hurt your credit score.

Online Bill Pay

The easiest way to pay your AAMC bill is through the online bill pay system. You can access it at https://www.luminishealth.org/en/bill-pay.

This portal allows you to:

• View all outstanding balances across AAMC, including hospital, physician, and radiology bills
• Pay bills immediately using credit/debit card or bank account
• Enroll in payment plans for large balances
• Manage autopay and paperless billing

If you don’t already have an account, you can create one in minutes. This gives you 24/7 access to your billing accounts.

Paying as a Guest

If you prefer not to create an online account, you can pay your AAMC hospital bill as a guest through MyChart at https://mychart.aahs.org/MyChart/Billing/GuestPay.

This will only let you pay your hospital bill, not physician or radiology bills. After entering your account number from your statement, you can make a one-time credit card payment.

Downsides of guest pay include:

• Can only pay hospital bills, not other bills
• Cannot set up autopay or view payment history
• Must re-enter information each time

For maximum convenience and bill management, creating an online account is recommended. But guest pay is useful for quick, one-time hospital bill payments.

Paying by Phone

You can pay your AAMC bill over the phone by calling the number on your statement. Have your bill handy so you can provide the account number.

A representative will take your credit/debit card information and process a one-time payment. However, the phone system does not allow you to set up autopay or payment plans. For those options, you need to use the online bill pay.

The main downside to phone payments is long hold times. Expect delays reaching a representative. Only use this method if you cannot pay online or need to speak to someone about your bill.

Paying by Mail

To pay by mail, write your account number on the check or money order. Send it in the envelope provided with your statement. Do not send cash through the mail.

Mailed payments take longer to process than online or phone payments. But it can be convenient if:

• You prefer to go through your bank
• You do not want to provide credit card info online
• You have money order or cashier’s check

Just make sure to allow 7-10 business days for mailed payments to avoid late fees. And only obtain cashier’s checks from reputable banks to avoid fraud.

Payment Plans

If you cannot afford to pay your full balance at once, AAMC offers payment plans. Payment plans allow you to make incremental payments over 6-12 months depending on your balance.

To set up a payment plan:

• Log into online bill pay and click “Pay over time”
• Select a duration between 6-12 months
• Provide credit/debit card or bank account for auto-payments

Payment plans prevent your account from going to collections as long as you make the monthly payments. Just be sure to select an amount you can realistically afford each month.

Financial Assistance

AAMC offers financial assistance to patients based on income, assets, and medical expenses. Assistance can include:

• Discounts on hospital bills
• Payment plans and forgiveness for unpaid balances
• Help enrolling in Medicaid

To see if you qualify, complete an application online or request one by phone. Approval is based on demonstrating financial need according to federal poverty guidelines.

If approved, financial assistance can significantly lower or eliminate your AAMC bills. Patients with income below 200% of poverty are eligible for highly discounted or free care.

Collection Agencies

If you do not pay your AAMC bills or set up a payment plan, the accounts will eventually go to collections. Collection agencies can negatively impact your credit score and may take legal action to garnish wages or put liens on property.

To avoid collections, stay in touch with AAMC about your financial situation. You may qualify for assistance or long-term payment plans. With communication and follow through, you can prevent damage to your finances and credit.

Key Takeaways

• Monitor your mail and MyChart account for bills after receiving care at AAMC
• Use the online bill pay system to conveniently manage all your accounts
• Payment plans and financial assistance are available for those who qualify
• Keep in touch with AAMC billing to avoid collections activities if unable to pay

Paying hospital bills can be very confusing. But hopefully this article has broken down the billing and payment process at Anne Arundel Medical Center into clear, actionable steps. Reach out to AAMC billing representatives if you have any other questions. With proactive communication and payment arrangements, you can effectively manage healthcare expenses.