| Payment Options |
At Rainy Lake Medical Center, we’re sensitive to the high cost of healthcare. That’s why we provide a Financial Counselor dedicated to helping you understand your bill and finding the best way for you to pay for services.
We’ve created five convenient options to help you meet the cost of your healthcare:
Community Care program (see below)
Insurance
Rainy Lake Medical Center bills patients’ insurance plans as a courtesy, however, patients and their legal guardians are ultimately responsible for medical costs. Insurance companies require the hospital to review your insurance card upon each visit. Expenses not covered by insurance providers may include:
- Elective procedures
- Exclusions from your regularly insured treatment
- Deductibles and co-payments
Delinquency policy
Accounts are considered late if no payments are received within 120 days of billing.
Community Care
Rainy Lake Medical Center’s Community Care program provides free or reduced cost healthcare to patients who are unable to pay fully for services received at the hospital.
Coverage
Community Care covers both inpatient and outpatient services, however, the program may not cover services that are provided by medical personnel not considered part of the hospital’s medical staff, such as radiologists or specialists not employed by Rainy Lake medical Center.
Community Care does not cover “extras” you receive while at the hospital, such as telephone or cable television services not deemed medically necessary.
Eligibility
Eligibility is based on three criteria: your income, your resources and your application for, and use of, any private or government healthcare coverage available to you.
Once these three criteria are met, Community Care may assist you with unpaid bills, including those resulting from insurance deductibles and co-pays.
Community Care is divided into three categories based on income and resources;
- If your income is at or below 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Level based on family size (see attached chart), you are entitled to free care. There are no resource limits.
- If your income is between 100 and 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level based on family size (see attached chart), you are entitled to reduced cost care based on the sliding scale established by the hospital, which is available upon request. There are resource limits on this level of eligibility.
- If your income exceeds 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level based on family size, you may be eligible for reduced cost care if your income and resources are not sufficient enough to enable you to pay fully for hospital services. Rainy Lake Medical Center determines whether to reduce charges if your income is at this level.
Determining Eligibility
When reviewing applications for Community Care, Rainy Lake Medical Center makes an initial determination and a final determination of eligibility.
The initial determination is made when you request an application for Community Care and meet with an Rainy Lake Medical Center financial representative to provide the required information. During this time, you will be asked to sign a statement confirming the accuracy of the information. The hospital will not take collection actions or request a deposit from you when you participate in this initial determination. If you are determined eligible for Community Care, collection actions are delayed pending final determination.
Once you are initially determined eligible for Community Care, you have 14 calendar days to supply documentation supporting the information you provided to the hospital’s financial representative. Based on this documentation, the hospital will make a final determination on your eligibility for the program. In addition, the hospital will make every reasonable effort to determine whether a government agency or private insurance company will cover some or all of your hospital charges. Based on your application, you may be required to submit documentation as evidence of your eligibility for Community Care. If you are covered under the Minnesota Senior Federation, the income verification requirement may be waived.
Application process
When the hospital requests your insurance information during registration, we can provide information on Community Care in writing. If you are unable to read, or do not understand the policy, a Rainy Lake Medical Center financial representative can explain the program. Additionally, hospital staff will give you a Community Care application and brochure at any time. Don’t hesitate to ask for this information; we are happy to provide it to you.
If you are denied coverage through Community Care, you will receive a notice stating the reason why. If you would like your application reconsidered, the hospital offers an appeal process. If your appeal is denied, you will be notified in writing of the reason and collection actions will resume.
If you have any questions about Community Care or your ability to pay for hospital services, please contact our Financial Counselor at 218-283-5414. |
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