About Your Bill

On July 1, 2019, OSF HealthCare transitioned to a single billing office.

Previously, physician office services and hospital services were billed separately. Now, both of these services will appear on a single, consolidated bill.

Note: Our online payment service and single bill is for OSF HealthCare services only. Non-OSF services are billed separately and come directly from those providers or groups. Payments for bills received from non-OSF medical providers or groups should be set up with that provider or group.

Surprise Billing Disclosure (PDF)

Billing Notifications

We’re pleased to offer you several ways to be notified of medical bills. 

  • Paper bills delivered by postal mail
  • Email, which includes a link to review charges and pay your bill
  • Beginning November 15, 2022, patients may receive a text message from 91962 alerting them to a new bill

You may choose which method you prefer to be notified of bills.

Patients who do not wish to receive text message notifications may reply “STOP.” Please note, message and data rates apply to text billing notifications.

Is this service/treatment/procedure covered by insurance?

OSF HealthCare has no direct knowledge of individual insurance plans.

Our patient service representatives can explain the process and attempt to answer your questions, but we often cannot give answers to specific questions about insurance coverage.

These questions should be addressed to your insurance provider.

Are these services considered “in network?” How much does something cost if I am “out of network?”

When OSF HealthCare bills your insurance for medical services, your insurance provider will determine what portion of the bill they are able to cover.

Patient responsibility is routinely much higher when services are provided by providers who are not in network. Patients are responsible for any amounts not covered by their insurance.

This determination is made by the insurance provider and not OSF HealthCare. Please note that any estimated out-of-pocket costs are a good-faith estimate based on the scheduled service and any potential benefits quoted by your insurance (including deductibles, copays, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximums). Our estimates are for informational purposes only. 

Patients are strongly encouraged to verify with their insurance what benefits are available to them and to obtain documentation from their insurance if an exception to have services performed by OSF at that specific facility is needed.

You can see a list of which insurance plans are accepted at various OSF HealthCare facilities here.  

Why does OSF not accept Health Sharing plans?

Health Sharing Plans are not considered insurance by the federal government and are not regulated by the Department of Insurance; therefore, OSF has to treat those patients as uninsured.

Why didn’t insurance cover this cost?

Insurance providers determine which services they will and will not cover.

While OSF HealthCare may not be able to answer specific questions about your plan and coverage, we will do our best to clearly explain the process and services included on your bill.

If you have questions about your insurance policy or its coverage, we advise you contact your insurance provider.

You also have the right to appeal an insurance provider’s decision to deny a claim.

In Illinois and Michigan, this process begins with an internal review conducted by your insurance provider. Contact your provider for more information about this process.

Are there any discounts available to me?

Some people qualify for discounted medical care through the Illinois Uninsured Patient Discount Act.

In addition to this discount, OSF HealthCare offers financial assistance to those who are uninsured, underinsured or who lack the financial resources to resolve bills incurred.

You can find more information about financial assistance here.

In addition to discounted care, OSF HealthCare also offers interest-free payment plans.

To set up a payment plan online, visit the Payment Options section of our website. 

Why is my hospital bill different than the estimate I received?

When we estimate the cost of services before a hospital-based procedure, we provide an approximate cost based on similar procedures.

However, not all procedures are the same. Some individuals may require more or less medication, longer or shorter hospital stays or other variables that are difficult to predict.

Your bill will reflect the personalized care you received during your treatment or procedure.

Additional Information

We understand how confusing the billing process can be. 

Our patient services representatives can help you understand the billing process and what portion of billing will be your responsibility.

If you have questions, please contact our team.