How to Pay Your IU Health Bill: A Step-by-Step Guide

Dealing with medical bills can be confusing and stressful. I should know – I’ve had my fair share of doctor visits and hospital stays over the years. As a patient of IU Health, I’ve learned how to navigate the billing system and wanted to share some tips Whether you just had a routine check-up or a major surgery, you’ll inevitably get a bill in the mail from IU Health Don’t panic – I’ll walk you through the process of understanding and paying your IU Health bill.

The first thing to know is that you’ll likely receive separate bills from different providers. For example, you may get a bill from the hospital facility, the physician who saw you, and the lab that processed your tests. It can be hard to keep track of all the different bills, so I recommend setting up an online account.

Setting Up Your Online Account

IU Health offers an online billing system called Consumer MyIUHealth that allows you to view and pay all your IU Health bills in one place. To sign up, go to consumer.myiuhealth.org and click on “New User.” You’ll need to provide some personal information like your name, date of birth, and medical record number. Once your account is created, you can see current statements, payment history, and manage payment methods.

Having an online account makes it so much easier to view and pay bills. Rather than waiting for bills in the mail I can log in anytime to view my account balance and new statements. I’d highly recommend setting up an online account if you haven’t already.

Understanding Your Bill

IU Health bills can seem long and confusing with all kinds of codes and abbreviations, Here are some tips for deciphering your bill

• Services rendered: This section lists all the specific services you received during your visit, like office visit, labs, procedures, etc.

• Service dates: The dates indicate when you received each service listed. This helps you match up the services to your visit.

• Charges: This column shows the pre-insurance price charged for each service.

• Payments & adjustments: This shows any payments made to date and any discounts or adjustments applied.

• Balance due: After payments and adjustments are applied, this shows the remaining amount you owe for each service.

• Summary: At the end is a summary of the account balance due. This is the total amount you must pay for that statement.

Knowing how to read the key sections makes the bill less intimidating. I always double check that the services, dates, and charges match what I expect before paying.

Payment Options

Once you review your bill and determine the balance owed, it’s time to make a payment. IU Health offers several convenient payment options:

• Online payment – Easily pay your bill via credit/debit card or eCheck through your Consumer MyIUHealth account.

• Phone payment – Call the number on your statement to make a payment via credit/debit card or eCheck.

• In-person payment – Visit the billing office at your IU Health facility to pay by cash, check or money order.

• Mail payment – Send a check or money order using the remittance slip and envelope provided with your statement. Be sure to allow 7-10 days for delivery.

• Payment plans – If unable to pay the full amount due, call the number on your statement to set up a monthly payment plan.

I prefer the convenience of paying online through my account. But when I’ve needed assistance, I’ve always had great experiences with the billing department by phone. The representatives are friendly and helpful.

Financial Assistance

If you’re struggling to pay your IU Health medical bills, it’s important to know that financial assistance is available. IU Health has counselors who can help you apply for Medicaid coverage or other government aid programs. They also offer discounts and payment plans based on your income and family size. I encourage you not to ignore your medical bills. Instead, call the number on your statement and explain your financial hardship. There are definitely options to help you pay off your IU Health bills.

Tips to Avoid Surprises

While there aren’t a ton of ways to lower your medical bills, here are a few tips to avoid surprises:

• Give the most up-to-date insurance information – Make sure IU Health has your current insurance ID number so claims get processed correctly from the start.

• Ask about cost estimates – You can request estimated costs for scheduled services ahead of time to avoid sticker shock.

• Verify network status – Double check that your providers and facilities are in-network to maximize insurance coverage.

• Review bills carefully – Scan statements to spot any duplicate charges or billing errors to get corrected.

• Set up payment plans – Paying installments helps avoid late fees or being sent to collections.

Following up on bills and clarifying any discrepancies right away can prevent headaches down the road. I try my best to stay on top of it.

In Summary