Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did I receive more than one bill for the same date
of service?
A: In most cases, you will receive at least two bills: one from the hospital and one from the doctor or other professional services provider. Patient Financial Services bills the hospital or facility fees provided to patients of the University of Washington and Harborview Medical Centers. These services include inpatient hospital stays, clinic visits and other outpatient services such as x-rays, lab tests and therapies.
For University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC), provider-based clinics include: UWMC Pacific Clinics, UWMC Roosevelt Clinics, Eastside Specialty Center, UW Medicine Regional Heart Center-Alderwood, UWMC Prosthetics and Orthotics Clinic and the Center on Human Development and Disability. As provider-based, you will be charged both a facility fee and a professional fee. The hospital charges may be as much as, or greater than, the charges for professional services, depending on services rendered.
University of Washington Physicians, which is separate from the Medical Centers, bills the professional fees for services provided by doctors practicing at the UW and Harborview Medical Centers.
Patients may also receive bills associated with their visits from other providers, including the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA), Children’s University Medical Group (CUMG), air and ground ambulance companies such as Airlift Northwest, and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologists (CRNAs) billed by Support Med.
Q: Who do I contact to update my insurance or other
billing information?
A: If your insurance information has changed in any way since you last registered, or if you believe your claim may have denied due to missing or incorrect billing or other personal information, please call us right away. We will update your account information and/or rebill your health coverage with your new information.
For University of Washington Medical Center patient accounts:
Pre-Registration
206.598.4388
800.283.6184 (toll free)
We are available to take your call Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Standard time.
For Harborview Medical Center patient accounts:
Pre-Registration
206.731.8845
877.744.9700 (toll free)
We are available to take your call Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
Remember to have your account number ready.
Q: What do I do if I can’t pay my bill?
A: All Patient Responsibility balances are due and payable 30 days from the date you receive your statement.
Patients may apply for charity care at the time of or after receiving services at the University of Washington or Harborview Medical Center by requesting a Charity Application. Patients who request charity care and who are initially determined to be eligible, have 14 days from the date of request to submit a fully completed application. The completed application must contain income verification and supporting documentation including bank statements.
Charity care is available to Washington State residents for medically necessary services only. Elective medical care is not eligible for charity care. Eligibility is based on federal income poverty guidelines.
If you don’t qualify for charity care, you may still be able to make payment arrangements. Please call Patient Financial Services to inquire.
Q: Why didn’t my insurance pay my hospital bill?
A: Charges which may not be paid by your insurance and may then become your Patient Responsibility include:
Check your Explanation of Benefits and/or contact your insurance company with your specific questions.
Insurance claims may also be denied due to missing or incorrect subscriber information on the claim. If you believe your claim was denied for this reason, please call us right away. We will take your corrected information, update your account and/or rebill your insurance.
Make sure to have your Explanation of Benefits handy when you call.
Q: What do I do if I need more information to bill my Medical Savings Account or my Healthcare Reimbursement Account?
A: Requirements for submitting claims to a Medical Savings Account (MSA) or Healthcare Reimbursement Account vary. The two most common items of information needed but not provided on the facility bill or statement are 1) Physician/Provider name and 2) Diagnosis.
To obtain additional information required by your MSA, you can either telephone our Customer Service Department or submit an online request on the link below and request a Charge Details report.
Submit billing questions online >