Detailed Answer
When you receive a statement of account from a medical provider, attorney, or other service professional in Nebraska, third-party payments—such as insurance reimbursements or government program payments—appear as credits offsetting your balance. You’ll typically find these entries in a column labeled “Payments,” “Credits,” “Adjustments,” or “Insurance Payments.”
Here’s how it generally works:
- Date of Payment: The date the insurer or government program issued the payment.
- Payer Name: The insurance carrier (e.g., Blue Cross Blue Shield) or government program (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid).
- Amount Paid: The exact sum the third party remitted to the provider.
- Applied To: The specific service date, invoice number, or charge code the payment is applied against.
For example, if you have a $200 charge for a consultation and your insurance pays $150, the statement will list the $200 charge in the “Charges” column and a $150 insurance payment in the “Payments” or “Credits” column, reducing your patient responsibility to $50.
While Nebraska law does not mandate a single standardized format for billing statements, providers must accurately record and apply third-party payments. See Neb. Rev. Stat. § 44-3-115, which requires healthcare providers to accept and post payments from insurance carriers and government programs. https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=44-3-115
Helpful Hints
- Review the “Payments” or “Credits” column to spot insurance and government payments quickly.
- Match payment dates with your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) or Remittance Advice to confirm accuracy.
- If payments appear under “Adjustments,” check for denial codes or write-off explanations.
- Contact the billing office if you see unapplied or missing credits.
- Keep all EOBs and statements in one folder to track your payments and balances.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always consult a qualified attorney or billing expert for guidance on your specific situation.