Your daily charge at Speare Memorial Hospital is based on the type of room you have. Included in your daily rate are: your room, nursing care, meals, housekeeping, linens, maintenance, administrative and clerical support, some medications and dressings, local telephone service, television, and social services.
It is important for you to know that the majority of health insurance policies do not pay 100 percent of hospital or physician charges. Any fees not covered by your particular insurance policy will, of course, be your responsibility. We suggest you contact your insurance company or agency to learn your benefits prior to treatment.
This will enable you to determine the share of costs for which you will be responsible.
At the time of your admission, it is necessary to establish who is responsible for the payment of your account: you, a relative, an insurance carrier, or a private or government agency. A deposit is requested if you have no insurance. Please remember that you are ultimately responsible for all services rendered. To assist you, we will file a claim, but the hospital will look to you for payment regardless of the circumstances.
If you choose to assign your insurance benefits to Speare Memorial Hospital, the patient account manager will require the following information:
Health/Medical Insurance
Under this plan, the hospital will file claims on your behalf, providing that you:
- present proper insurance identification, insurance cards;
- assign benefits to the hospital;
- sign authorization for the release of information required for billing; and
- agree to pay the entire bill if it is not paid by your insurance company.
Partial Health/Medical Insurance
Those persons with insurance covering only part of their bill will be required to pay an
estimated amount on that part which is not covered. Overpayment will be refunded after insurance payment. However, if the balance of your bill is too large for you to pay at discharge, you may discuss alternative arrangements with your Financial Counselor at (603) 238-2204.
Cash Payments
This plan is for all patients who have to pay part or all of their hospital bill. Under this plan, you may pay by cash, check, or VISA/Mastercard for the estimated hospital bill. If you are unable to pay the entire balance at that time, please consult our Financial Counselor within 30 days of your discharge. Extended payments will be accepted by the hospital upon approval by the Financial Counselor.
NH Health Access Network
This is a voluntary effort by Speare Memorial Hospital and the other 25 community hospitals in New Hampshire to improve access to health care for low-income children and adults who do not have adequate health insurance or limited resources to pay for hospital care. Only permanent New Hampshire residents will be eligible to apply for this program and must meet the NHHAN guidelines.
To apply for the NH Health Access Network, you may call our Financial Counselor at (603) 238-2204 or 238-6471. If you would like assistance in completing the NHHAN application, please call our Financial Counselors to schedule an appointment.
Medicare and Medicaid
MEDICARE: you must present your Medicare identification card when you are admitted. You must also sign the necessary billing forms. These will be filed on your behalf. Secondary insurance billing will be done by the hospital if you provide all the necessary information.
MEDICAID: you must present your Medicaid identification card at admission. If your card is not presented, you will be responsible for your entire bill until you provide us with current Medicaid coverage.
Commercial Insurance
Speare Memorial Hospital bills all commercial insurance as a courtesy to our patients. Prompt payment is usually forthcoming, and the patient is contacted only if payment is refused for some reason. When payment is refused, the patient is responsible for the balance due. Patients who wish to have the hospital forward bills to other commercial insurance companies must supply the hospital with the necessary information at the time of their hospital service.
Worker's Compensation
All bills will be sent to your employer's worker's compensation insurance carrier. If we have not received payment or a reason for non-payment within 30 days, an inquiry will be addressed to the insurance carrier. Claims refused by the employer or insurance carrier may be addressed to the New Hampshire Department of Labor, (603) 271-3175.
Statements
If you would like to receive a complete itemized bill of the services and charges that you received while you were a patient at Speare Memorial Hospital, you may contact the Business Office at (603) 238-2204 or 238-6471 between the hours of 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday through Friday, to request a copy of your bill.
As a courtesy to our patients, we will submit your bill directly to the insurance company that you have indicated as your current medical coverage. Any balance remaining after payment from insurance company will be the patient's responsibility. In the event insurance does not remit payment within 30 days, the patient will be asked to take up the issue with
their insurance company as the policy holder. Should the account remain unpaid after a period of 60 days, the patient/guarantor will be required to remit payment in full and/or pursue the matter on their own behalf for reimbursement.
If payment cannot be made within 30 days from date of initial statement, we urge you to contact our financial counselor at (603) 238-2204 or 238-6471. After 90 days with no contact made by you, we must consider other collection options. Please safeguard your good credit by making arrangements for payment immediately.
Your Health Care Team
More than 200 people are involved in making your stay at Speare
Memorial Hospital as comfortable and healthful as possible....
A Few Hospital Departments
As a patient at Speare Memorial Hospital, you may receive services from
these departments ...
History of Speare Memorial Hospital
Speare Memorial Hospital had its beginnings in 1892. Click here to see
historic photos and learn about our beginnings as a community hospital.
