💳 Clarifying Payment Expectations for Outpatient & Elective Care at Mercy

Human Resources has received several questions about Mercy’s request for payment at the time of service for non-emergency outpatient services and elective procedures. To provide clarity, the information below is based on Mercy’s Financial Clearance Policy and outlines what employees can expect—and what options are available.

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🏥 What to Expect at the Time of Service

For non-emergency care, Mercy requires patients to do one of the following before or at the time of service:

• Pay any outstanding Mercy balances in full, or Establish a payment plan
• Pay copays, deductibles, or coinsurance as required by your insurance
• Pay for non-covered services, or establish a payment plan for those costs

Key Point: Mercy does not require full payment upfront if you set up a payment plan.

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💡 Flexible Financing Options

Mercy offers several options to help you manage your medical expenses:

• Payment plans to spread costs over time
• Uninsured patient discounts
• Financial assistance for qualifying individuals

📞 To explore your options or set up a payment plan, contact Mercy Customer Service at 855-420-7900 or visit mercy.net/financing.

🧾 Using Your Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

Don’t forget—you can use your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to cover eligible out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, including:

• Copays and deductibles
• Coinsurance
• Prescription medications
• Many elective and outpatient procedures

Be sure to keep your itemized receipts and EOBs for documentation. Using your FSA card at the time of service may help reduce your upfront burden. If you’ve already paid out-of-pocket, you can submit for reimbursement through the FSA portal.

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💲 Pre-Service Cost Estimates

To better understand your potential out-of-pocket costs:

• Call 417-820-7300 (have your insurance information ready)
• Use Mercy’s online cost estimator at mercy.net/estimates

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📌 HR Recommendation

HR strongly recommends that employees compare their Mercy billing statements with their Med-Pay Explanation of Benefits (EOBs) to verify accuracy and understand what has been paid by insurance versus what remains their responsibility.

For additional guidance on understanding your medical bills and claims, we encourage you to revisit our earlier blog post:
🔗 Mercy and Med-Pay: Navigating Your Medical Billing and Claims

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We appreciate your proactive approach to understanding your healthcare billing. HR is here to help you make sense of the process and connect you with the resources you need.

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