A guarantor is: A person or entity legally responsible for paying the remaining balance of charges for health care services after insurance has paid. A responsible party to whom the organization will send billing statements and expect to work with to meet the financial obligation for the services rendered. Accepts and understands terms of the admission consent form.

Patient Financial Information

YOUR GUIDE TO

Understanding Insurance

A part of your overall health and wellness includes your financial wellness. Because we care about your wellness, we have Patient Financial Counselors available to help you understand your bill, get an idea of how much services cost, understand your insurance, and help you decide what payment options are best for you. We have a helpful guide that helps you understand terms, resources, and other services that make paying your bills a little easier.

If you provide Southwest Health with your insurance information during registration, we can bill your insurance company on your behalf. In the event that you are not able to provide your insurance information at the time of registration, please send us a copy of your card via fax at (608) 342-0938 or mail it to the physical address below with “Attn: Patient Financial” in the address.

Please remember, all charges not paid by your insurance company, including coinsurance and deductible amounts, must be paid within 30 days of billing unless you contact us to establish payment arrangements. To find out more about billing and insurance, check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

Decoding Insurance Coverage

Premiums: The amounts you pay for your insurance policy, often deducted directly from your paycheck.

Deductible Are paid out of pocket each year before insurance kicks in. Each family member usually has a separate deductible.

Co-Payments: Are flat fees charged each time you visit the doctor or use any medical service, regardless of the cost of the procedure.

Co-Insurance: Requires you to pay a percentage of the total cost of care. Many plans require either co-insurance or co-pay, but some charge both.

Maximum out of pocket: Is the most you’ll have to spend before all of your medical bills are covered.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a guarantor?

A guarantor is:

A person or entity legally responsible for paying the remaining balance of charges for health care services after insurance has paid.
A responsible party to whom the organization will send billing statements and expect to work with to meet the financial obligation for the services rendered.
Accepts and understands terms of the admission consent form.

Who serves as a guarantor?

In most cases:

Patients 18 years of age or older are financially responsible and serve as their own guarantor.
For patients under 18 years of age, a parent or legal guardian/trustee is the guarantor.

Where may I pay my bill?

In person: Pay your bill at any registration or greeter desk.
By mail: Send your payment and billing statement to Patient Financial Services, Southwest Health, 1400 Eastside Road, Platteville, Wisconsin 53818.
By phone: Make a payment using your debit or credit card by calling Patient Financial Services at (608) 342-4717 or the phone number on the billing statement.
Online through MyChart: Access your billing account summary and pay your bill electronically through MyChart: https://mychart.ssmhc.com/mychart/.

What types of payments are accepted?

Southwest Health accepts cash, check, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard).

May I set up a payment plan?

Southwest Health can assist you in setting up a payment plan. To speak with one of our patient accounts specialists about setting up a payment plan, call Patient Financial Services at (608) 342-4717.

Do you accept my insurance plan?

To find out if Southwest Health accepts your insurance plan:

Call the 1-800 number on the back of your insurance card.
Confirm that Southwest Health Center is in your insurance plan’s network.
Confirm that your Southwest Health Center physician is in your insurance plan’s network.

Note: if Southwest Health is not contracted with your insurance company, benefits may be considered “out of network” and thus not covered.

Why do you need to scan my insurance card every year if nothing has changed?

We scan all patients’ insurance cards every year to:

Ensure that all of your personal information in our records is up-to-date (name, address, phone, insurance).
Ensure that all of your billing information in our records is up-to-date so that your claims can be submitted in a timely and accurate manner.

Why must I pay a medical insurance co-pay? How much are co-pays?

Commercial Insurance:

A medical copay for group insurance is determined by the employer and insurer

Medicaid:

Copay is determined by income.
Co-pays are generally $1-$12.

If I have radiology services, who will bill me?

If you have radiology services, you may receive a bill from Madison Radiology for reading of a scan or x-ray.