Frequently Asked Questions About Your Bill
We want to help you understand your bills from Children's Hospital. Here are answers to some of the most common questions.
- Who will bill my insurance company?
- How much do I owe?
- What if I am unable to pay?
- Who do I call with questions about my bill?
- Why did I receive a bill from someone other than Children's?
- Why are there charges from someone my child did not see?
- I think I was charged for services that I did not receive. What should I do?
- Who might bill for services my child received at Children's and how do I contact them?
Who will bill my insurance company?
Children's will bill your insurance company based on the information you provide to us at registration. Please let us know as soon as possible about any changes in your insurance coverage.
How much do I owe?
Ultimately, you are responsible to pay for all services provided by Children's. We will make every attempt to first bill your insurance company.
If your child has Medicaid, Healthy Options, Basic Health Plus or Children's Financial Assistance your services will be covered in full and you should not receive bills from Children's.
The insurance company reviews the bill sent by Children's and pays or denies their portion. If Children's has a contract with your insurance company, an additional amount may be deducted from the total. Most insurance companies call this additional amount an adjustment.
After your insurance company has made adjustments and paid its portion of the bill, we will bill you for your part of the bill. Most insurance plans require that you pay part of the bill. If you have questions about your insurance, contact the company.
What if I am unable to pay?
We provide financial assistance to patients under age 21 whose primary residence is in our region (Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) based on family income and hospital resources. Help is offered to families with and without insurance.
You can find an application form online as well as throughout the hospital.
The patient financial specialists at the hospital can answer questions you may have about how to pay for hospital care and financial assistance. Call (206) 987-3333 or (206) 987-5786 (Spanish line), 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Patient financial specialists can also help you apply for public insurance programs such as Medicaid, Healthy Options and Basic Health Plus. These programs may help you with your child's current and future health care bills.
Learn more about financial assistance.
Who do I call with questions about my bill?
For questions about your bill, contact Business Services.
Why did I receive a bill from someone other than Children's?
You may receive bills for doctor's services, emergency transport or other services that are required for your child's care, but that are not provided by Children's.
Why are there charges from someone my child did not see?
Some doctors may provide a service but not meet with a patient face-to-face. For example, a radiologist may read an X-ray or films from a test or exam.
I think I was charged for services that I did not receive. What should I do?
Errors in billing occasionally occur. If you suspect an error or have questions about something on your bill from Children's Hospital, please contact Business Services.
For questions about a Children's University Medical Group (CUMG) bill, call (206) 987-8455 or toll-free (888) 675-2864, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
For questions about bills from other doctors or services call one of the numbers listed below or look on your bill for the number for billing questions.
Who might bill for services my child received at Children's and how do I contact them?
In most cases, you will receive two bills – one from Children's and the other from Children's University Medical Group (CUMG) about 15 days after your child is discharged.
Bills from Children's are for hospital services and Children's University Medical Group sends bills for most physician services.
- Children's Hospital: (206) 987-5770 or (866) 987-5770
- Children's University Medical Group (CUMG): (206) 987-8455 or (888) 675-2864
- Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA): (206) 288-6226 or (800) 304-1763
- University of Washington Physicians (UWP): (206) 543-8606 or (888) 234-5467
Services for most doctors who see patients at Children's are billed by CUMG, SCCA or UWP. Children's Financial Assistance covers services provided by Children's and at Children's by CUMG, SCCA and UWP providers.
If your child was treated by a primary care provider (PCP) while in the hospital, or by a specialist recommended by your PCP, you also may receive a separate bill from them. These doctors do not honor Children's Financial Assistance.
Based on the care your child received, you may also receive a bill from one or more of these services:
- Airlift Northwest: (206) 521-1616 or (866) 245-4373 (provides transport by airplane, helicopter or ambulance)
- American Medical Response: (800) 228-7601 (provides transport by ambulance)
- Virginia Mason: (206) 223-6601 or (800) 553-7803 (for treatment in the hyperbaric chamber) (206) 344-7984 (TTY)
You may also receive a bill from an EMT (emergency medical technician or medic) and/or an emergency transport company that is not listed above. For concerns about these bills, please contact the company in question.
Children's Hospital strives to achieve excellence in customer service and welcomes comments or suggestions to improve our ongoing mission to better serve you and our community.