I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: Medicare/Insurance => Topic started by: sullidog on August 04, 2012, 08:01:54 PM

Title: secondary insurance
Post by: sullidog on August 04, 2012, 08:01:54 PM
Hi all,
I have medicare as my primary and my employers insurance as my secondary.
The problem is my secondary won't pay what medicare didn't unless I send them the statement from medicare, I thought that if medicare didn't pay the secondary would pay automatically, no they want the medicare statements which I get but they send very few and I find it a minor annoyance that I have to do this every time to do this with every claim and there's a lot of them.
Any ideas on what to do to fix this issue? might I add not only would this make me have medical costs, but postal costs as well!
Title: Re: secondary insurance
Post by: Joe on August 05, 2012, 07:39:27 AM
My dialysis center handles all the primary and secondary billing for me. If they want to get paid, they get to send the bill.
Title: Re: secondary insurance
Post by: jeannea on August 05, 2012, 08:05:07 AM
Yeah this doesn't make any sense. Talk to billing at dialysis. Also, if necessary, escalate a call to your insurance provider and find out why they can't handle what every other insurer can handle.
Title: Re: secondary insurance
Post by: amanda100wilson on August 05, 2012, 10:17:55 AM
No ,that is the way hat it is done.  Secondary won't pay unless the have received the EOB (explanation of benefits) from Medicare even if Medicare are not paying anything.  This is not  just yoursecondary insurance, all operate in the same way.  I am surprised though that you ate having to deal with this as the provider usually does it  (as a courtesy).  The only to e that it may not happen is if Medicate isn't listed with the provider as primary.  It is important to make sure that Medicare is listed as primary with your provider otherwise the.invoive will be sent to your secondary in error who will then reject it, and send the payment request to you.  Suggest you talk to your provider's billing office to check if this has been set up properly.  Often if you are under 65 and not registered disable, they will make the assumption that Medicare is not primary as ESRD patients are a select few who receive Medicare as primary without being low income, disable or over 65.