Q: Is this legal? I thought I was covered under the no surprise bill act?
I had secondary insurance (united health care) for a few months mainly for a new prescription for my glasses. Primary Amerigroup. I had a doctors appointment during the period I had 2 health insurances. I did not supply the information for my secondary insurance to my doctors office but a year later im receiving a bill and multiple late bill reminders when I have told my doctors office that I have state insurance , unemployed and cannot afford this bill and I never gave them this information.
A:
The No Surprises Act generally protects patients from unexpected bills for emergency services and certain services at in-network facilities.
However, it's important to understand that this protection may not cover all medical billing situations. In your case, if you had secondary insurance that was not disclosed to your healthcare provider, the provider may not have been aware of the additional coverage.
It's advisable to provide all relevant insurance information to healthcare providers to ensure that claims are processed correctly. Now that you're receiving bills, consider reaching out to both your primary and secondary insurance providers to discuss the situation and explore if the charges can be covered retroactively.
Additionally, communicating with your doctor's office about your financial situation and discussing possible payment plans or financial assistance programs might be beneficial. Understanding your rights under the No Surprises Act and your insurance coverage details is crucial in resolving such billing issues.
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