Ucsd Insurance Billing: Understanding The Process And Your Coverage

UC San Diego Health offers a wealth of information on insurance billing. They provide answers to frequently asked questions about billing and insurance, including paperless billing, facility fees, general billing, and insurance claims. UC San Diego Health also provides a billing phone number and email for further inquiries. Additionally, they offer assistance with billing and insurance questions, such as understanding insurance benefits, out-of-pocket payments, and accepted insurance plans. UC San Diego also has a mandatory student health insurance plan (UC SHIP) for all registered students, which covers medical, behavioural health, pharmacy, dental, and vision care. Students with other insurance plans can apply for a health fee waiver.

UC San Diego Health insurance billing contact information

UC San Diego Health offers multiple ways to get in touch with their billing department. For general billing queries, you can call 855-827-3633 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you can email [email protected]. It is helpful to provide the patient's guarantor/account number, medical record number, or telephone number to help them locate your account.

If you are a MyUCSDChart user, you can ask a billing question via your account. You can also pay your bill online via MyUCSDChart.

If you have questions about paperless billing, you can call the billing department at 855-827-3633.

If you have questions about your bills from UCSD providers, you can call the following numbers:

• UCSD Medical Center: (855) 827-3633
• UCSD Medical Group: (619) 543-3000
• UCSD Emergency Physicians Group: (888) 486-4380

Paperless billing

UC San Diego Health offers paperless billing to its patients. Paperless billing means that users will receive electronic billing statements in their MyUCSDChart account instead of paper bills in the mail. This allows users to view their bills securely and conveniently. It is also an eco-friendly business practice that aligns with the organisation's commitment to sustainability.

If you are a MyUCSDChart user, your account will be automatically enrolled in paperless billing. This means that you will no longer receive paper bills in the mail. If you already participated in paperless billing before the automatic enrolment date, there is no action needed, and you will continue to receive paperless billing communications.

If you do not have a MyUCSDChart account and would like to sign up for paperless billing, you can do so by creating an account on the MyUCSDChart website. Once you have a MyUCSDChart account, you will be able to view and manage your billing statements electronically.

You will receive a notification each month via email when a new paperless billing statement is ready for review. If you need a paper copy of your statement, you can print one directly from MyUCSDChart. You can update your email and text preferences in the Communication section under the Profile tab in MyUCSDChart.

If you try paperless billing and decide that you prefer to receive paper statements instead, you can change your billing preferences on the Billing Summary page in MyUCSDChart. Log into your account, go to the Main Page, and click on the Billing Summary link at the top.

UC San Diego Health facility fees

UC San Diego Health is the academic health system of the University of California, San Diego. It is the only academic health system serving San Diego and has one of three adult Level I trauma centres in the region. It comprises three major hospitals: UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest, Jacobs Medical Center in La Jolla, and UC San Diego Health East Campus Medical Center in East County. The La Jolla campus also includes the Moores Cancer Center, Shiley Eye Institute, Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, and Koman Family Outpatient Pavilion.

The UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest is the region's first academic medical centre, offering both primary care and specialised services, including surgery, diagnosis and management of genetic disease, neurology, orthopaedics, oncology, and the Sleep Medicine Centre. The 381-bed hospital is home to the San Diego Regional Burn Centre, San Diego County's only academic Level One Trauma Centre, a Comprehensive Stroke Centre, Poison Centre, Hyperbaric Medicine Centre, and the National Institutes of Health-designated Clinical Research Centre.

The Jacobs Medical Center is the second component of UC San Diego Health's two-campus strategy and provides specialised quaternary care not available elsewhere in San Diego County. The 364-bed advanced medical centre is divided into four separate pavilions: Thornton Pavilion, Vassiliadis Pavilion, Foster Pavilion, and Rady Pavilion.

The UC San Diego Health East Campus Medical Center (formerly Alvarado Hospital) was purchased from Prime Healthcare Services in December 2023. It aims to provide enhanced emergency care units and access to a wider variety of behavioural health and psychiatry services.

The Moores Cancer Center, established in 1979, is the region's only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centre. It provides outpatient care for over 200 cancer types and is a regional centre for cancer research and clinical trials.

The Shiley Eye Institute provides comprehensive eye care services, from basic eye exams to advanced diagnostic tests and sophisticated surgery.

The Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center is the region's first academic-based facility to combine all heart and vascular-related services, programs, and technology under one roof. It is connected to the Jacobs Medical Center and the Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute.

Regarding facility fees, UC San Diego Health defines these as indirect costs for a suite of services delivered at a hospital-based clinic or physician's office. Facility fee costs include using a room or space, having access to state-of-the-art medical equipment and advanced technical resources, and the use of supplies. Facility fees are based on the range of services provided and the complexity of care. In some cases, the facility fees may be equal to or greater than the cost of other charges. For an estimate of facility fees prior to receiving services, patients can contact a specialist or refer to the Price Transparency section on the UC San Diego Health website.

To avoid a facility fee, patients can ask if the type of service can be performed in a physician's office instead of a hospital-based clinic when scheduling their appointment. However, this may affect the available dates, times, and location of the services.

UC San Diego Health insurance plans

UC San Diego Health offers a range of insurance and billing options for its patients. Here is an overview of the insurance plans and billing processes:

Insurance Plans:

UC San Diego Health accepts various insurance plans from different carriers. It is recommended that patients familiarize themselves with their insurance benefits and coverage before their first appointment. Most insurance companies require co-payments, deductibles, or annual deductibles. Patients can contact their insurance company directly to understand their coverage and benefits.

UC San Diego also offers a Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP) for its graduate and undergraduate students. UC SHIP is a comprehensive health plan that provides a full range of medical services, including primary and specialty care. It is mandatory for registered students to be enrolled in UC SHIP, but they can apply for a waiver if they have comparable medical insurance coverage. UC SHIP includes vision coverage through Anthem Blue View Vision and pregnancy benefits, treating maternity care as any other medical condition.

Billing Processes:

UC San Diego Health provides multiple options for paying bills. Patients can pay online, by phone, or by mail. They can also set up paperless billing through the MyUCSDChart system, receiving electronic billing statements directly in their account. For billing questions and assistance, patients can contact the billing department at 855-827-3633 or via email at [email protected].

To avoid surprises, patients are advised to understand their insurance benefits and any out-of-pocket payments required. UC San Diego Health provides price transparency and protection from surprise medical bills. Facility fees, for instance, are indirect costs for using hospital-based clinics, and these may impact the overall bill. Patients are encouraged to inquire about such fees and seek estimates beforehand.

Additionally, UC San Diego Health offers financial assistance for patients who need help paying their bills. They can discuss payment plans or financial assistance options by contacting the provided phone number or email.

UC San Diego Health billing FAQs

You can contact UC San Diego Health with any billing or insurance questions by calling 855-827-3633, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or by emailing [email protected]. You can also ask a billing question on MyUCSDChart.

For MyUCSDChart users, paperless billing means receiving electronic billing statements in your MyUCSDChart account instead of paper bills in the mail. Paperless billing is one of the ways UC San Diego Health has adopted eco-friendly business practices.

If you are a MyUCSDChart user, your account will be automatically enrolled in paperless billing on May 1, 2023. If you already participate in paperless billing, there is no action needed from you. If you do not have a MyUCSDChart account, you will receive billing statements in the mail. To sign up, go to MyUCSDChart.

You can pay your bill online at MyUCSDChart, by phone, or by mail.

Annual wellness visits include a focused physical exam to review your general health and develop a plan to keep you healthy. If you have specific medical issues, your doctor may choose to treat these at the same time, which may be charged in addition to the wellness visit and may be subject to deductible, co-insurance, and/or co-pay.

For each visit or hospital stay, you may receive separate bills from UC San Diego Health and the physicians or providers involved. Depending on the services provided, you may receive a separate bill from some providers within UC San Diego Health that have their own billing departments.

Facility fees are charged when you receive services at a hospital-based clinic or physician's office. To avoid this fee, ask if the type of service can be performed in a physician's office instead of a hospital-based clinic when scheduling your appointment.

UC San Diego Health asks for payment at the time of your visit to avoid sending a statement to your home afterward. Their financial policy is to collect any patient payment responsibility before the service is rendered.

I have two insurance health plans. Why do I have a balance?

For most insurance health plans, the deductible for the primary health plan must be met before the secondary health plan will pay for services. Contact the provider(s) at the top of your statement(s) or your health plan directly to inquire about billing and deductible calculations.

I received a bill from a doctor I did not see. Why?

The hospital sometimes refers ancillary services to outside medical professionals, such as sending laboratory tests to outside physicians for additional medical opinions or x-rays to specialty radiologists. These physicians may bill you directly.

I was billed for services I did not receive. What should I do?

Please call the UC San Diego Health customer service department at 855-827-3633.

I had medical services several weeks ago. Why haven't I received a bill?

It may take two to 12 weeks to receive a bill, depending on how quickly your insurance company processes it.

Yes, UC San Diego Health's Financial Assistance team is dedicated to helping patients with the financial assistance process. More information is available on their Financial Assistance page.

Frequently asked questions