Your Rights and Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills at UMass Memorial Health
When you get emergency care or are treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, you are protected from balance billing. In these cases, you shouldn’t be charged more than your plan’s copayments, coinsurance and/or deductible.
Surprise Billing and Balance Billing Protections at UMass Memorial Health
At UMass Memorial Health, we understand that healthcare billing can be confusing, and we are here to help.
What do the terms Balance Billing and Surprise Billing mean?
Surprise Billing occurs when a patient receives a larger-than-expected medical bill due to their care provider being out-of-network. It typically occurs in the following scenarios:
Cholestasis of Pregnancy
Cholestasis of pregnancy is a liver problem. It slows or stops the normal flow of bile from the gallbladder. This causes itching and yellowing of your skin, eyes, and mucous membranes (jaundice). Cholestasis sometimes starts in early pregnancy. But it is more common in the second and third trimesters. It most often goes away within a few days after delivery. The high levels of bile may cause serious problems for your developing baby (fetus).
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
NICUs provide specialized care for the tiniest patients. NICUs may also have intermediate or continuing care areas for babies who are not as sick but do need specialized nursing care.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition. It is far more common than generally understood. Sleep apnea happens in all age groups and both genders.