Having to pay medical bills can be confusing and stressful Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Florida aims to make paying hospital and surgery center bills as simple as possible This article will explain the online bill pay options through Lakeland Regional Health and provide tips for handling medical bills efficiently.
Overview of Lakeland Regional Medical Center
Lakeland Regional Health is a leading hospital and health system based in Lakeland Florida. Their medical center campus includes
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Lakeland Regional Medical Center – A 864-bed acute care hospital offering comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care.
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Lakeland Regional Health Surgery Center – A outpatient surgery center performing over 9,000 annual cases.
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Hollis Cancer Center – Providing radiation oncology and infusion services.
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Other facilities for cardiovascular, orthopedics, women’s health, pediatrics, and more.
Lakeland Regional Medical Center is recognized for quality care and service excellence. They aim to provide a streamlined billing and payment process for patients.
Online Bill Pay Options at Lakeland Regional
Lakeland Regional offers online bill pay for both the hospital medical center and surgery center. Patients can conveniently pay their medical bills electronically 24/7.
Hospital Bill Pay
To pay your Lakeland Regional Medical Center hospital bill online, visit www.mylrh.org/hospital-bill-portal. You will need your account number found on your billing statement.
Key features of the hospital online bill pay include:
- Pay by credit/debit card or e-check
- View insurance details and activity
- Update billing and personal information
- View statements and account balances
- Set up payment plans
- Communicate with financial services
Surgery Center Bill Pay
For Lakeland Regional Health Surgery Center bills, go to surgerycenter.mylrh.org/bill-pay. Enter your account number and pay by credit/debit card.
Tips for Paying Your Lakeland Regional Medical Bills
If you receive care at Lakeland Regional Medical Center or their surgery center, keep these tips in mind when managing your medical bills:
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Expect multiple bills – You’ll get bills from Lakeland Regional plus any other providers like radiologists, anesthesiologists, etc.
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Know your insurance – Understand your health insurance coverage, deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance, etc. Call your insurer with questions.
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Check billing statements – Review all statements for errors and contact Lakeland Regional about discrepancies.
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Pay promptly – Pay bills quickly to avoid late fees unless you have negotiated a payment plan.
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Seek assistance – Ask about financial assistance for bills you cannot pay in full. Unpaid bills may go to collections.
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Automate payments – Set up automatic monthly payments to avoid missed payments.
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Communicate issues – Notify Lakeland Regional billing if you need to postpone payment due to financial hardship.
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Ask questions – The financial services team can explain billing codes, charges, insurance details, and more.
Paying medical bills can be complex, but Lakeland Regional aims to ease the process through financial counseling and online payment options.
Options for Financial Assistance with Lakeland Regional Bills
If you are unable to pay your Lakeland Regional Medical Center or surgery center bills in full, you may qualify for financial assistance, including:
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Payment plans – Set up monthly payments to pay your bill over an extended time. Get the plan details in writing.
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Discounts – You may qualify for a discount on your bill based on income, assets, and family size guidelines.
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Government programs – Medicaid, Medicare, and disability benefits may help pay all or part of your medical bills.
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Uninsured discounts – Lakeland Regional offers a 30% discount if you are uninsured and pay promptly.
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Charity care – If you earn below 200% of federal poverty guidelines, your care may be free.
Before your medical service, speak with a Lakeland Regional financial counselor about options to lower or pay your bills. Don’t delay care due to money concerns.
What to Do if Your Bill Goes to Collections
If you are unable to pay your Lakeland Regional medical bills, they may get forwarded to a collection agency, impacting your credit. Here are some options if facing collections:
- Contact the agency right away to try negotiating a settlement or payment plan. Do not ignore calls/letters.
- Explain your financial hardship and ability to pay only a portion of the balance.
- Have the debt validated in writing and reviewed for any errors.
- If the debt is correct, get set payment terms in writing before paying.
- Pay by credit card or money orders so you can dispute later if needed.
- Ask about medical debt forgiveness programs if you are low income.
- Be aware of your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
- Keep notes of all conversations and important dates. Follow up in writing.
- Get professional credit counseling if needed for managing medical debt.
Avoiding Lakeland Regional collections starts with upfront communication about your ability to pay. Ask for help so it does not reach the collections stage.
Key Phone Numbers for Lakeland Regional Billing Assistance
Contact these Lakeland Regional departments for help with your medical bills and payments:
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Hospital Bill Inquiries: 844-930-0464
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Hospital Financial Counseling: 863-687-1126
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Surgery Center Bill Inquiries: 863-687-1105
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Surgery Center Financial Help: 863-413-7359
Explain your financial concerns and work collaboratively on a solution. The billing staff can answer insurance questions, review charges, set up plans, check balances, take payments, and more.
Sample Scripts for Discussing Medical Bills
Use these sample scripts when calling Lakeland Regional about issues paying your medical bills:
“Hi, I received a bill for $2,000 but can only afford payments of $200 per month right now due to job loss. Can we set up a payment plan?”
“I just got your bill but think there may be an error with the amount charged. Can you please provide a detailed breakdown of the charges?”
“I don’t understand what my insurance covered and what I owe. Can you explain which charges I am responsible for paying and at what amount?”
“Due to my low income, I cannot afford this surgery center bill. Do you have any financial assistance programs or charity care that could lower the amount?”
Be prepared with your account number, billing statements, and insurance details. Take notes during the call. Staying calm and asking questions will yield the best results.
Avoiding Surprise Medical Bills
To avoid surprise medical bills from facility fees, out-of-network providers, and other unexpected charges from Lakeland Regional:
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Ask in advance if all providers are in your insurance network, including radiology, ER doctors, anesthesiologists, etc.
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Request an estimate of total charges before receiving care.
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If uninsured, compare Lakeland Regional’s cash price to other facilities.
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Inquire about preventive care, screenings, medications, treatments that are 100% covered by your insurance at zero cost to you.
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Review all medical bills line by line and ask about any vague or questionable charges.
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Negotiate with Lakeland Regional billing if you are unhappy with unexpected charges on your bill.
Being proactive reduces the chances of surprise bills and helps you budget for upcoming health expenses.
Navigating medical bills from a hospital stay or procedure can be overwhelming. Lakeland Regional Medical Center aims to ease the burden through financial counseling and online payment options.
If you take a collaborative approach by communicating with Lakeland Regional billing staff about your specific circumstances, you can likely find an acceptable solution, even if you cannot pay the full amount.
The key is to stay organized, understand your responsibilities, and advocate for yourself to avoid unpaid medical bills being sent to collections. Ask questions, explore discounts or assistance programs, and set up affordable payment plans. With positive engagement, you can work through the billing process while continuing to receive quality care through Lakeland Regional Health.
Financial Assistance & Charity Care
If you require financial assistance or are eligible for charitable help, we can ensure you receive access to appropriate medical care through these assistance schemes.
The Lakeland Community Hospital, Inc. Financial Assistance and Charity Care Policy exists to provide eligible patients who may need financial assistance partially or fully discounted emergency or medically necessary hospital care. Patients must apply for financial aid.
A patient who is uninsured or underinsured, has recently qualified for financial assistance, or is determined eligible under the Policy guidelines may receive financial aid for emergency or medically necessary hospital care. Some services and providers in the Hospital are excluded from the Policy, and financial assistance is unavailable for such services or providers.
Financial assistance is generally determined by a sliding scale of total household Family Income (as defined in the Policy) based on the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Some patients may be presumptively eligible based on their previous qualification or eligibility for Medicaid or other federal or state indigent care programs.
Patients with Family Income between 0-200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines may receive a 100% discount for emergency and medically necessary services. Patients with a Family Income between 201-250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines may receive a 60% discount for emergency and medically necessary services. Patients with a Family Income between 251-300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines may receive a 40% discount for emergency and medically necessary services. Eligible patients will not be charged more for emergency and medically necessary services than Amounts Generally Billed to patients with insurance.
Patients seeking financial assistance are required to complete a Lakeland Community Hospital, Inc. Financial Aid Application. Patients may find an application at the link below, the Lakeland Community Hospital registration office located at 42024 Alabama 195, Haleyville, AL 35565, or by calling (205) 485-7151. Patients must cooperate in providing requested information and return the completed application to the Financial Aid Specialist at the above address. As Family Income and other relevant factors change, applicants must update their application.
Download below and complete the application within 10 days of your discharge.
Download below our complete Financial Assistance and Charity Care Policy.
Please return the completed application and the necessary documents to:
Lakeland Community Hospital Business Office Attn: Admitting Director P.O. Box 780Haleyville, AL 35565(205) 486-5213 Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
We encourage patients to find out thoroughly about the cost of their care before coming to the hospital. If you have insurance, you should check with your insurance company to find out if the service is covered and what your copayments and deductibles might be. The same is true if you have Medicare or Medicaid.
If you dont have health coverage, you may qualify for financial assistance. Please see the financial assistance section for more information. For a list of standard charges, click one of the links below:
The link below leads to the machine-readable files (MRFs) that are made available in response to the federal Transparency in Coverage Rule and includes negotiated service rates and out-of-network allowed amounts between health plans and healthcare providers. The machine-readable files are formatted to allow researchers, regulators, and application developers to easily access and analyze data.
You can access your Machine-Readable Files here:
Lakeland Community Hospital has coverage for various health insurance programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. Get in touch with us directly to discuss if your particular insurance plan covers any necessary treatment.
- Affordable primary care and pediatrician visits
- Prescription coverage
- Preventive healthcare and screenings
- Emergency room and urgent care visits
- Coverage/treatment for pre-existing medical condition
*You may qualify for access to medical care through the Medicaid program. Plan pricing may vary based on geographic location, age, smoking status, and the number of individuals covered. In addition, premium tax credits may lower premium costs on many Marketplace plans. Talk to our Certified Application Counselors to learn more.
Send us an e-mail or Call 1-888-982-9144
You can go directly to the HealthCare.gov website to enroll or re-enroll. If you need assistance, we can help.
- Call 1-888-982-9144 (toll-free) to make an appointment with a representative. You can get help over the phone or make an appointment to come by the hospital. Our Certified Application Counselors are available Monday –Thursday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.; and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Email us at [email protected]. We can schedule an appointment or answer your questions.
Gather the following documents in preparation for determining financial assistance:
- Social Security Numbers (or document numbers for legal immigrants)
- Employer and income information for every member of your household who needs coverage (for example, from pay stubs or W-2 forms—Wage and Tax Statements)
- Policy numbers for any current health insurance plans covering members of your household
- A completed Employer Coverage Tool for every job-based plan you or someone in your household is eligible for. (You’ll need to fill out this form even for coverage you’re eligible for but don’t enroll in.)
Billing & Finances
Our online bill payment system makes it easy for you to cover the cost of your bills online without any need to travel to the hospital.
For questions about your bill, please call us at 205-485-7267 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Your hospital bill does not include charges for your personal physician, surgeon, anesthetist, pathologist, radiologist, emergency room physician, or other physicians consultants. You will receive separate bills from these physicians.
Lakeland Regional Health has second busiest ER in nation
FAQ
How many beds is Lakeland Regional Medical Center?
What is the tax ID for Lakeland Regional Medical Center?
Who runs Lakeland Regional Hospital?
Does Lakeland Regional Health pay my medical bill?
If you are a patient, this site is not to pay your hospital or doctor’s office bill. Please visit myLRH.org/patient-portal to pay your medical bill. Lakeland Regional Health uses Americommerce.com for its online store and Authorize.net for its transaction gateway.
What is Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center’s online business office?
Our online business office is a free, safe and convenient way to access and view your account information, make payments, view insurance activity, update your personal information, and communicate with our business office regarding your treatment at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center. What’s the best way for me to pay my hospital bills?
Does Lakeland accept online payments?
Online: We accept online payments using your MyChart account. You can also use MyChart to access account information, view statements, request payment plan, or send us billing questions. To set up a MyChart account online CLICK HERE, or call 1.800.LAKELAND (525.3526). A Lakeland representative will be available to assist you 24-hours a day.
Does Lakeland Regional Health use americommerce?
Lakeland Regional Health uses Americommerce.com for its online store and Authorize.net for its transaction gateway. Both of these companies are industry leaders in online payment purchases and are fully accredited and compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards. Your information is secure when using this site.