If you are covered by health insurance, please bring your insurance card with you at time of your visit. Please note that payment is due at time of service.
- If your insurance requires pre-admission certification, one of our insurance specialists will be able to assist you in obtaining the authorization.
- We encourage you to call us to have your insurance benefits evaluated. We will contact your insurance company for you to determine your individualized coverage for services.
- Most health insurance companies, as well as Medicare, pay UF Health directly. Any portion of your hospitalization or care not covered by insurance will be your responsibility.
- In many instances your insurance company will require regular information updates on your progress and condition to determine approval for a continued stay at the hospital. We have specially trained staff who will review your chart in order to provide information to your insurance carrier.
UF Health is responsible for submitting bills to your insurance company and will do everything possible to expedite your claim. You should remember that your policy is a contract between you and your insurance company and that you have the final responsibility for payment of your med bill.
Coordination of Benefits (COB)
Coordination of Benefits, referred to as COB, is a term used by insurance companies when you are covered under two or more insurance policies. This usually happens when both husband and wife are listed on each other’s insurance policies, or when both parents carry their children on their individual policies, or when there is eligibility under two federal programs. This also can occur when you are involved in a motor vehicle accident and have medical insurance and automobile insurance. Most insurance companies have COB provisions that determine who is the primary payer when medical expenses are incurred. This prevents duplicate payments. COB priority must be identified at admission to comply with insurance guidelines. Your insurance may request a completed COB form before paying a claim and every attempt will be made to notify you if this occurs. The hospital cannot provide this information to your insurance company. You must resolve this issue with your insurance carrier for the claim to be paid.
Commercial Insurance
As a service to our patients, we will forward a claim to your commercial insurance carrier based on the information you provide at the time of registration. It is very important for you to provide all related information such as policy number, group number and the correct mailing address for your insurance company in a timely manner. You may be held responsible for unpaid claims due to incorrect or missing insurance information.
Uninsured?
If you do not have health insurance coverage, you may be eligible for insurance through the Health Insurance Exchanges or Florida Medicaid. We also encourage you to apply for Financial Assistance (link either to the main FAP page section or directly to application) or you may contact our UF Health Customer Service department at (352) 265-7906 or Toll Free at: (888)766-8154 to make payment in full or set up payment arrangements.
Medicare
UF Health Shands Hospital and the University of Florida are approved Medicare providers. All services billed to Medicare follow federal guidelines and procedures. Medicare has a Coordination of Benefits clause. At the time of service you will be asked to answer questions to help determine the primary insurance carrier paying for your visit. This is referred to as an MSP Questionnaire and is required by federal law. Your assistance in providing accurate information will allow us to bill the correct insurance company. Medicare deductibles and co-insurance are covered by your secondary insurance. If you do not have secondary insurance you will be asked to pay these amounts or establish a payment plan. If you are unable to pay these amounts, we will help you determine if you qualify for a state-funded program.