 Help with Hospital Bills, Insurance and Financial Assistance
Medical bills are often unplanned, and can be difficult to understand or to pay. Providence Business Office representatives are available to explain your bill, answer billing or insurance questions, arrange payment options, or provide applications for financial assistance with the bill. For additional information, see our...
Financial Assistance Center
Hood River Business Office
541-387-8219 or 877-215-7833 (Toll Free)
8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (Monday - Friday)
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Saturday)
 What is an account?
Each time you receive care at a Providence hospital, or your doctor sends a lab or pathology specimen to a Providence hospital, a new account will be opened. Each account generally ties to a date of service.
Bills and Statements
In most cases, the first bill should arrive about five days after care. It will include a detailed description of the services provided for that account.
Every 30 days thereafter a monthly statement should arrive that will include:
- Summaries for all accounts for the entire family (or guarantor). If you prefer individual monthly statements instead of family, or guarantor, statements, please call the business office and ask to be your own guarantor.
- This monthly family statement identifies the amount due from your insurance company, and the amount due from you for each account.
- The statement also will include payments or new charges that occurred during the month.
At any time, you may request additional information about itemized charges by calling your local business office listed above.
Some tests, services or treatments done at the hospital require service from a physician who is not an employee of the hospital. That physician will bill you separately for their services. In some cases, you may not actually receive care directly from the physician that provides a service. Examples of these physicians include pathologists, radiologists, cardiologists, anesthesiologists and other specialists who submit separate bills. If you have questions about these bills, please call the number printed on their statement.
Billing Your Insurance Company
Providence will submit bills to your insurance company when complete information is supplied. Please remember that your policy is a contract between you and your insurance company, and you have the final responsibility for payment of your hospital bill. If your insurance company does not pay within 45 days of billing, please contact them to resolve the delay. Secondary insurance is billed after the primary (or first) insurance pays.
Payment Options
After your insurance company processes the bill (also known as a claim), the balance (amount owed by you) is due within 30 days. The balance can be paid in any of the following ways: cash, check, credit card, or three-month payment plan. If you need a payment plan longer than three months, please call the business office to make other arrangements.
What to do before you need care:
We encourage you to become familiar with the terms and conditions of your health insurance coverage and review any changes each year. Understanding your insurance coverage can help you avoid unnecessary bills.
If You Are a Member of a Managed Care Plan
Your health insurance plan may have special requirements, such as a second surgical opinion, prior authorization or limitation on where care is provided. If your insurance plan’s requirements are not followed, you may be financially responsible for all or part of the bill for services provided by the hospital. If you are referred to a specialist by your primary care physician or provider, you may want to confirm if the specialist participates in your health care plan.
If You Are Covered by Medicare and a Secondary Insurance
Medicare will be billed, then once their payment is received your secondary insurance will be billed. Please be advised Medicare does not cover some items and services. Examples of services not covered by Medicare include dental related services, medications you can administer (pills), personal comfort items, hearing evaluations and others. After Medicare and any secondary insurance have paid their portions, you will be billed any deductibles, copayments and non-covered items that are your responsibility.
What if I can't pay my bill?
If paying your Providence hospital bill creates a financial hardship, you can apply for financial assistance. Partial or full financial assistance may be available based on established guidelines. Consideration for assistance includes the patient’s, or responsible party’s,income level, credit history, existing debt, assets, situation, number of people in the home and other indicators of inability to pay.
For instance, full financial assistance for Providence hospital services is usually available to households whose annual income is up to 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Families whose annual income is above 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines may still be eligible for partial assistance with their Providence hospital bills.
Requesting financial assistance
To request an application for financial assistance, or to get aid in applying for Oregon Health Plan coverage or other available coverage, call your business office listed above. Request that an assistance application be mailed to you, or to speak with a financial counselor.
Can I appeal an assistance determination?
If you are denied assistance and believe the determination does not accurately reflect your situation, you can appeal the decision so that it is reviewed a second time. To request an appeal, please submit a cover letter to the hospital business office director explaining why you feel the determination was not appropriate, including further information and clarification.
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