It is very important for you to become familiar with your health insurance plan, since benefits and requirements vary widely. Many insurance carriers now require pre-certification or prior approval of a scheduled hospital stay, including procedures that are considered ambulatory. Many even require that they be contacted by the patient or a family member for approval immediately following an emergency admission. Please contact your insurer regarding your plan's requirements. There may be financial penalties if approvals are required but not obtained within a specified time period. If pre-certification is required, you and your physician must obtain the necessary authorization.

Financial Responsibility

Although the Patient Accounts Office will make every effort to assist you in obtaining payment for your hospital bill including billing your insurance carrier(s) upon your discharge, please remember that the cost of your hospital stay, regardless of the reason for hospitalization, is your financial responsibility. If you have any questions or need assistance with financial matters, please call the Patient Accounts Office at (516) 876-6280.

Insurance

When you are admitted, or when the pre-admission paperwork for a "same day" or ambulatory surgery procedure is complete, please be sure to provide all of your insurance information. This includes "no-fault" information if applicable. If you have no insurance or insufficient coverage, a deposit may be required and arrangements for payment will be made. If you anticipate any financial difficulty, we urge you to contact our Patient Access Service at (516) 256-6289.