Financial Policies

Financial Policies

The purpose of this financial information is to inform our patients and prospective patients of the Clearwater Endoscopy Center’s policies regarding financial responsibility.

Patients may contact Clearwater Endoscopy Center billing department directly for financial information or to get an estimate of their financial responsibility at: (727) 443-0100.

If you have insurance, we will help you maximize your benefit by filing for you. However, a co-payment (or deductible) will be expected at the time of your procedure.

If a patient has health insurance coverage that may cover some or all of the services provided, the surgical center may initiate contact with the patient’s insurance company to determine the patients’ cost-sharing responsibilities. The patient may contact his or her insurance company directly for additional information concerning cost-sharing responsibilities. If the surgery center determines the patient has a co-payment or has yet to meet their calendar year deductible the patient will be required to pay that amount in full on or before services are provided.
 

Payment Plan/Financial Assistance/Collection Procedure

If a balance is due from the patient after services are rendered, Clearwater Endoscopy Center’s standard collection procedure is to mail the patient a statement. Statements are due in full within 30 days upon receipt. If the patient cannot meet that obligation, they are to contact the billing department at (727) 443-0100 to make an agreed upon payment plan arrangement. Arrangements can be made for patients to make installment payments in cases where the entire cost of medical treatment seems likely to create a heavy financial burden. Financial installment payments are collected over a three month period with full payment due in 90 days. We will mail the patient three statements, failure to pay in full after the third statement is mailed, may result in your account being placed with a collection agency. If accounts are placed with a collection agency, the cost charged by the collection agency will be passed onto the patient to pay, and the patient’s credit score may be negatively impacted.
 

CareCredit

In addition, the Clearwater Endoscopy Center offers the option of CareCredit. CareCredit is a healthcare credit card designed for your health, and wellness needs. It’s a way to pay for the costs of many treatments and procedures with no upfront costs, pre-payment penalties or annual fees, and allows you to make payments. There is no interest financing if paid within 6 months and low monthly premiums.

Please contact the billing office at (727) 443-0100 for more information regarding CareCredit.
 

Uninsured/Self-Pay/Discounts

Uninsured patients will be contacted prior to the date of the procedure with an estimated procedure cost for the procedure. A discounted down payment equal to ½ of the total estimated amount due is expected on the day of the procedure. The remaining balance will be due within 90 days from your date of service.
 

Charity Care

The Clearwater Endoscopy Center maintains a charity discount policy providing financial relief to patients who receive medically necessary care and who do not qualify for state or Federal assistance and are unable to pay the estimated or remaining financial responsibility in part or in full. A patient must meet the policy’s household income qualifications which are based on Federal Poverty Level Guidelines (revised annually). You will be asked to submit financial documentation in order to verify your qualifying status.
 

Application Process

Certain policies require a completed application of specific financial and household information to determine the qualifications of the available assistance. You may contact the billing office to request further details regarding the financial assistance program.
 

Price Transparency

Payment Bundle Resources

Information on payments made to the facility for defined bundles of services and procedures is available at http://pricing.floridahealthfinder.gov/. The service bundle information is a non-personalized estimate of costs that may be incurred by the patient for anticipated services, and actual costs will be based on services actually provided to the patient. The patient can request a personalized estimate from the center at any time before or after the procedure is performed. Patients should contact the health care practitioners anticipated to provide services to the patient while in the center regarding a personalized estimate, billing practices and participation with patient’s insurance provider or HMO as the practitioners may not participate with the same insurers or HMO as the center.

Patients may request from this facility and other health care providers a more personalized estimate of charges and other information including specific contact information prior to service.

Patients should contact each health care practitioner who will provide services in the facility or as an external service to determine the health insurers and health maintenance organizations (HMO) with which the health care practitioner participates as a network provider or preferred provider.

Please see the list of providers associated with our center.
Please see the list of contractors associated with our center.

FloridaHealthFinder.gov
Patients may access the State of Florida’s Agency for Healthcare Administration website at this link for information about this facility: http://www.floridahealthfinder.gov.