Billing Frequently Asked Questions
Thank you for choosing the Mankato Clinic for your health care needs. The Mankato Clinic Patient Financial Services team understands the complexity of medical charges and insurance plans and are available to answer any questions or concerns you may have.
Mankato Clinic Account Representatives are available by telephone at 507-389-8507 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Below are frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) about the billing process that may help:
For example: If you have a family of four, and all four family members have services at the Mankato Clinic, each family member will get a separate billing statement. If you have two children, each child will get their own statement.
No, our new system will only do individual billing. This should help to keep each family member’s charges separate and easier to identify. You can however, link your accounts. Click here to learn more.
Click on the link here to pay your bill online.
The Mankato Clinic will accept all types of insurance; however, the Clinic has designated contracts with the following insurance companies:
- Allina/Aetna
- America’s PPO
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- First Health Network
- Health Partners
- Humana Medicare Advantage
- Medica (not applicable for psychiatry providers)
- Medicare, including Medicare Advantage Plans
- Minnesota Medical Assistance Programs: UCare, Minnesota Care, Medical Assistance, South Country Health Alliance, and Blue Plus
- Multi-Plan
- Selectcare (not applicable for psychiatry providers)
- Sanford Health Plan
- Three Rivers
- TriCare
- United Health Care
All co-pays will be collected at the time of check-in. Please check with your insurance company for the requirements of your policy.
The Mankato Clinic will file insurance claims on your behalf provided we have your current insurance policy information available, and according to the specifications outlined in any provider contracts with those payers. Please arrive to your appointment 15 minutes ahead of your scheduled time and check in at the department. Be prepared to show a current insurance identification card at each visit; this helps to ensure that your bill is processed quickly and efficiently.
For certain procedures and tests, we utilize outside facilities for portions of the testing. For example: You may have had an ECHO done here but Minneapolis Heart Institute (MHI) read the results of the ECHO. You will receive a bill from MHI for reading the results and a bill from the Mankato Clinic for the actual test.
Dermatology-Testing of specimens (pathology) billing may come from Mayo Clinic Health Systems
OB/GYN- Certain procedures where specimens are obtained. Testing will be billed by Mayo Clinic Health Systems and the procedure will be billed by the Mankato Clinic.
Lab-If labs are sent to Mayo Clinic Health System for testing, Mankato Clinic would bill for the blood draw only and Mayo Clinic Health Systems would bill for the testing.
It is not uncommon for patients in the course of a preventive care visit to also receive management/treatment of a problem. When this occurs, both services must be reported to the insurance company, which may be subject to a co-pay or deductible, resulting in patient responsibility for a portion of the bill.
If, in the course of a screening or test, your doctor diagnoses you with a health condition requiring treatment, the services you receive may no longer be considered “preventive.” These services may be considered diagnostic and subject to deductible, co-insurance and/or co-payment.
For example, you may schedule an appointment for an annual physical, which you expect to be covered 100% by insurance. However, during the course of the exam you indicate you are having significant back pain. The medical care you receive regarding the back pain may be billed separately to the insurance company. This is done when health problems are significant and separately identifiable from the typical preventive services, such as a routine pap smear, breast exam, heart and lung exam, etc.
Screening: Testing is for done for disease in individuals without signs or symptoms.
Diagnostic: Testing is done for patients who have signs or symptoms of a specific illness or disease, or patients what have had a positive/abnormal results on prior testing.
An IPPE is not actually a physical exam, but rather it is an initial visit with introduction to Medicare and covered benefits, and it focuses on health promotion and disease prevention and detection to help keep you healthy. This can be done at the same visit as your annual physical exam allowing both to be billed for.
An AWV is an annual wellness visit with your provider that includes a personalized prevention plan of service, not a routine check-up. This can include when you should have certain screening tests done, immunizations, etc. This may also be performed at the same time as your annual physical exam allowing both to be billed for.
All charges are due and payable upon receipt of a patient statement. A patient statement is generated following response or activity on an account by applicable insurance coverage.
Mankato Clinic has partnered with BankVista to offer patients an easy and convenient option to finance your healthcare expenses.
- No credit check
- Select the amount of your monthly payment
- Fixed interest rate
- No prepayment penalties
- Financing available on balances of $250 or more
- Consolidate family member balances into one monthly payment
- Questions about enrollment? Call 1-507-389-8507
- Frequently Asked Questions for BankVista Financing Program
For patients who do not abide by the Financial Policy, delinquent accounts will receive a series of notification letters. The Mankato Clinic may use a professional collection agency when a payment of service is not met.
Elective services (services that are not medically necessary, such as Lasik eye surgery, cosmetic procedures, etc.) will be referred to a Patient Account Representative for an interview. At that time, services may be discussed and the patient’s third-party insurance coverage will be verified for potential payment. Any past-due balances on the account will be required to be paid up front, and payment in full will be required prior to the service being performed.
First and foremost, the Mankato Clinic Account Representative is responsible for addressing any questions or concerns that patients have regarding billing.
Your Account Representative will navigate you through the medical billing process by:
- Utilizing the expertise of various insurance specialists if you have specific insurance questions.
- Checking with coding staff to review the appropriateness of charges in cases where questions may arise regarding proper billing of services. Complicated questions and concerns may be passed along to supervisory staff when necessary.
- Making calls or sending letters to patients with accounts that are past due and offering assistance in resolving unpaid balances.
- Offering counseling for various methods of financial assistance, including public assistance programs.
- Accepting credit or debit card payments over the phone.
- Guiding patients on available resources in determining insurance coverage.
Paperless billing
View and pay your statement online
Safe and secure payment method
Set-up autopay
View/print statements up to one year
Link Accounts
Sign up for e-Statements here
A Team Focused on Your Health
At Mankato Clinic, we practice a health care home model of care. A health care home offers you a core team of trusted providers led by your primary care doctor. Your team helps you manage every aspect of your care, working together with you to keep you well and manage ongoing chronic illnesses, as well as reduce your risk of developing a chronic disease in the future. Learn more here: Health Care Home Model of Care