Thank you for choosing Fort Smith ER & Hospital for your emergency medical care. We understand that some patients may find the billing process confusing or overwhelming. To better serve you, we want to make the billing process simple and transparent. Your bill may be different from other medical bills you may have received from hospitals or physicians. It’s important to note that Fort Smith ER & Hospital is a specialty-hospital.
In an effort to protect patients, the federal government issued the Federal No Surprises Act (NSA). The NSA addresses several different points. The most notable point is the NSA serves to prohibit surprise billing. A surprise medical bill is an unexpected bill, often for services received from a healthcare provider or facility, that a patient may not have known was out-of-network with their insurance until a bill is received. Simply stated, an out-of-network provider cannot send a bill to a patient for any amount outside of their yearly in-network deductible and co-insurance. This does not apply to amounts paid directly to patients by their insurance provider for services rendered rather than paid to the provider. In those cases, a patient may receive a bill for full charges until the insurance payment amount is provided or paid over to the appropriate facility by the patient.
The Federal No Surprises Act was issued after lawmakers passed a law to base emergency services payments on local median in-network rates, also known as QPAs, instead of usual and customary rates. The law enacted a system where insurers and providers negotiate the correct amount to be paid. Once in agreement, the bill can be settled through an independent dispute resolution process. Insurers must now disclose how they come to the QPA-median in-network price and if they down-coded the claim for any reason.
Visit CMS.gov/nosurprises, or call the Help Desk at 1-800-985-3059 for more information.
Contact the Patient Advocacy Department at (713) 357-2535, Monday – Friday from 7:30 – 4:30 CST.
Fort Smith ER & Hospital accepts private insurance plans. We also accept out-of-pocket payment in the form of cash, checks or credit cards. Your ER co-pay will be collected at the time of your visit. We will then bill your insurance company for the policy’s emergency room benefits. There will be two different claims mailed to your insurance company: the facility bill and the physician bill. If you have any questions concerning your bill please contact our Billing Department at 713-357-2535.
If you have health insurance, you will receive an EOB (explanation of benefits) from your insurance company in the mail. Taking the time to be familiar with your benefits will help you make the best decisions when seeking medical care. It is important to note that the EOB is not a bill.
Fort Smith ER & Hospital is classified as out-of-network with many insurance companies; however, Fort Smith ER & Hospital does honor all in-network deductibles and benefits.
Workers’ compensation is a state-funded insurance program that gives covered employees income and medical benefits if they’re injured while working. Texas employers may choose to provide their employees with this coverage. Most employers will inform you as to whether or not you’re covered under this state plan.
Workers’ compensation pays medical bills and is covered underneath the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Act. For more information on workers’ compensation, visit this page.
If you’d like to file or dispute a claim, call 800-852-5494, option 1, to speak with a representative with the Arkansas Department of Insurance.
We process all commercial insurances, but not Medicare, Medicaid (including ARKids) or TRICARE. Most importantly, no matter a patient’s insurance status, all patients receive a basic medical exam by one of our Board-Certified Emergency Physicians. A cash-pay rate is available to those with Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, those with high deductibles plans and others who may not be covered or have insurance. Cash-pay rates may significantly reduce your out of pocket costs and will eliminate any need to wait for insurance authorization.