Seeking medical care in an emergency room often leads to receiving multiple bills – one from the hospital facility, one from the physicians who treated you, and sometimes additional bills from labs, radiologists, or other specialists. It can be confusing and stressful trying to understand and pay all of these different bills. If you recently received care from Empact Emergency Physicians, this guide will explain their billing process and provide tips for an easier billing experience.
Who is Empact Emergency Physicians?
Empact Emergency Physicians is an independent, physician-owned group practice providing staffing for emergency departments across the Midwest. They are not employed by the hospital – rather, they have contracts to provide emergency medicine services at certain facilities. This means the bill you receive from Empact is solely for the services provided by the Empact physician who treated you, separate from the hospital’s bill.
What to Expect from the Empact Bill
Your Empact bill will be for emergency medicine professional services only This includes evaluating your condition, determining a diagnosis, providing treatment, and managing your care while in the emergency room The bill will not include hospital facility fees, medications, supplies, laboratory testing, imaging, or other ancillary services. You can expect to receive a separate bill from the hospital facility for those additional charges.
Empact bills can vary widely depending on the complexity of the care provided, ranging anywhere from $100 for minor treatment to $1000 or more for critical resuscitation and complex procedures. The Empact bill may also include a facility fee, which helps cover the practice’s cost of maintaining availability of emergency services 24/7. This fee can range from $50 to a few hundred dollars depending on the facility.
When to Expect the Empact Bill
You should receive a bill from Empact within 30 days of receiving emergency services. However, if Empact needs to wait for a response from your insurance provider before billing, it may take 60-90 days to receive the initial bill.
If your insurance plan has a patient responsibility after they pay their portion, Empact will bill you for that amount owed. Make sure to open any mail from Empact so you don’t miss an important bill.
Options for Paying Your Empact Bill
When you receive your Empact bill you will have multiple options for payment
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Pay online through the Empact patient portal You can pay by credit card or electronic check The portal also allows you to set up payment plans or automatic recurring payments,
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Pay by phone by calling the toll-free number on your bill. Empact representatives are available 24/7 for automated payments or Monday-Friday 7am-7pm CST to speak with a representative.
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Pay by mail by sending a check or money order to the payment address listed on your bill. Make sure to include your account number on the payment.
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Use a Health Savings Account (HSA) card or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) card if you have one of these pre-tax health accounts.
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Apply for financial assistance if you are uninsured or underinsured. Empact offers payment plans and financial assistance on a case by case basis.
Communicating with Empact About Your Bill
If you have any questions about your Empact bill, need to update your insurance information, or want to inquire about financial assistance, call the toll-free phone number on your statement. Representatives are available Monday-Friday during business hours to answer billing questions, take payments, and address concerns.
You can also log into the online patient portal to view billing statements, make payments, set up payment plans, and message Empact’s billing department. Having access to the portal allows you to manage billing tasks on your own schedule.
Tips for Reducing Your Empact Bill
While you can’t control the complexity of care you receive in an emergency, here are some useful tips to help lower your Empact bill:
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Provide accurate insurance information upfront, including any secondary insurance you may have. This allows Empact to bill insurers right away.
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If uninsured, inquire about discounts and financial assistance upfront instead of waiting for the bill.
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For non-emergency care, use an urgent care center or primary care doctor instead of the ER when possible. Their bills are usually much lower than ER physician fees.
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Ask for an itemized bill and review it closely. Check for any duplicate or erroneous charges.
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Set up a payment plan to divide costs into smaller monthly payments if you can’t pay the balance in full.
Understanding the Empact billing process and planning ahead can help reduce stress when that bill arrives. With an organized approach, you can effectively manage the payment process. Reach out to Empact with any questions – their billing team is available to help support a positive billing experience.
Understanding Your Bill from EPPA
Emergency care often requires multiple resources. Your bill from EPPA is for the provider who you saw during your visit to a hospital emergency department. Because our providers are independent from the hospital you will receive a separate bill from us for your provider services. Click Here to view the hospital locations where you will find EPPA providers.
We know visiting an emergency department can be scary and is most often unplanned. We’re here to ensure your experience with your healthcare provider meets and exceeds your expectations. At EPPA, we are committed to the patients and communities we serve.
We want to make it easy for you to view your statement, pay your bill or set up a payment plan. If you have questions, we’re here to help.
My ER Doctor Is Billing Me For What Insurance Didn’t Pay, What Can I Do?
FAQ
What is a vituity bill for emergency medical services?
When you go to the hospital for care, you will usually get two bills: one from the hospital (called a “facility fee”) and one from the doctors who took care of you (called a “professional fee”). The bill from Vituity covers professional fees for the care you received.
What is Empact Midwest LLC?
