Patient Assistance

A function of BHC's Patient Accounts department, Patient Assistance answers a patient's questions that they may have about their insurance or bills. Patient Assistance staff can provide you with an explanation of your insurance benefits, assist you if your group coverage has special handling requirements, and help set up an agreeable payment arrangement.

Insurance Assistance

If you provide us with your insurance information, we will submit a claim to your carrier for the services we performed. As a courtesy, we accept assignment of insurance benefits, however, you are ultimately responsible for full payment of your account. If you are covered under Medicare or Medicaid, the hospital participates in both programs. In addition, Boone Hospital Center is a preferred provider in most managed care insurance plans. Please check with patient assistance at 573.815.3305 if you are uncertain about BHC’s participation in your plan. In addition, you will receive a letter shortly after your insurance has finalized, advising you of any balance due from you.

Financial Inquiry

A recent addition to Boone’s web-based healthcare services is the ability to review billing status online for any of your past and present accounts. Those with web accounts through boone.org and a copy of a recent bill from Boone may view this information online.  

Financial Assistance

If you need help paying for the balance you owe, please call Patient Assistance at 573.815.3305 . Financial assistance may be available to you, and may include helping you apply for Medicaid, determining your eligibility for financial assistance, determining your eligibility for a reduction in the amount you owe for some services, or establishing a payment plan. Our full Financial Assistance Policy is available for download. A financial statement must be completed to determine your eligibility for assistance, and it is available for download (PDF) on this website. Once downloaded, please print the form, fill it out completely and mail, along with a copy of your most recent IRS 1040 tax return, to:

Patient Assistance Boone Hospital Center 1600 East Broadway Columbia, MO 65201

Boone Hospital Center is committed to providing you with high-quality patient care and services. This includes sharing with you information about our billing process for health care services.

We will talk with you about patient expenses and send you a bill in as timely a manner as possible. There are some payments which may be required from you at the time services are provided, such as insurance deductibles, co-pays and payment for services not covered by insurance. The bill you receive will clearly state the services provided, any applicable discounts, and when payment is due.

Please call Patient Assistance at 573.815.3305 or at 1.800.962.7791 if you need help to pay your bill. All of your information is considered confidential, and we pledge to treat you with respect and dignity. If you do not have insurance coverage, we will automatically discount your hospital bill; and if you pay your bill in full within 30 days of your first notice, you will receive an additional discount. Please call us to discuss this discount.

Depending on your situation, you also may qualify for financial assistance. Please contact our financial assistance representatives to determine if help is available to you. Financial assistance may include:

• Helping you apply for Medicaid
• Determining your eligibility for free health care services
• Determining eligibility for a reduction in the amount you owe for some services

If you have insurance coverage, we will bill your insurance carrier soon after health care services have been provided to you. It is possible that you may receive services from other health care professionals while you are at our hospital that will be billed separately. Some fees that may be billed separately include physicians, laboratory and radiology services.

If you do not have health insurance or are concerned that you may not have enough insurance to cover the costs of your services, BJC HealthCare hospitals want to assist you. If you need help paying for the health services you receive, please contact us by phone at 573.815.3305 .

We can meet with you to discuss financial assistance options. When you receive your bill, it will tell you who to contact if you need assistance paying your bill.

If you would like to apply for financial assistance, we will need to receive information from you about your job, income, resources, insurance coverage, family size and other information to help determine the appropriate programs for which you may qualify. We realize some of the questions we ask are sensitive, but it is necessary that we receive this information to help you. You have our commitment that we will respect you and your privacy during this process.

Every year BJC HealthCare provides more than $100 million in free care for uninsured patients, more than any other hospital or health system in Missouri. And if you need help, please contact us by phone at 573.815.3305 .

Procedure price estimate

To receive a price estimate for the more common procedures performed at Boone Hospital Center, please fill out this form or print this form and send it to the listed address.

Explanation of Physician Fees

If you are seen in the emergency department or have anesthesia, X-rays or lab tests performed during your hospital stay, you and/or your insurance carrier will receive bills from both the hospital and physician(s) or professional groups. Hospital charges represent utilization of our equipment, technical personnel and supplies. Bills that you receive from physicians or professional groups are their fees for administering, interpreting and reading your tests and procedures. In addition to your primary physician, you may receive services from anesthesiologists, radiologists and other specialists.
The following specialists may not participate in the same insurance plans as the hospital:

Anesthesia	Mid-America Anesthesia	573.875.8838
Radiology	Radiology Consultants	800.846.1983
Pathology	Boyce & Bynum Labs	573.886.4610
Emergency	Emergency Physicians of Mid-Missouri	1.800.985.3137

You may receive separate bills from your attending physician as well.

Medical Audit

A registered nurse is available to answer questions concerning specific items or charges on your bill. You may contact our auditor by calling 573.815.3336 .

Medical Records

If you need a copy - or have questions - about your medical record, contact our release of information staff at 573.815.3247, or request your medical records online.

Further Questions

Please direct your questions regarding Patient Financial Assistance to our Patient Assistance staff at 573.815.3305 or at 1.800.962.7791. You are encouraged to contact us about your account, check current balances, update insurance information, find out the current status of your insurance claim, request an itemized copy of your charges or pay your bill.