Payments and Billing

Our charges may be billed to the patient's primary health insurance (see insurance billing below). For co-pays or payment of deductibles, we accept cash, check, money order, MasterCard®, Visa®, Discover Card® or bank debit cards, and most Flexible Spending Account and Health Saving Account cards.

NOTE: For the student-run clinics, there is no billing to insurance companies and no charge to clients.

Insurance Billing

The Carls Center will bill primary and secondary health insurance plans if the patient provides current insurance coverage information (insurance card or photocopy of it) for all plans, and signs an authorization at the time of the visit to allow us to do so.

The Carls Center participates with several insurance programs, but please review your benefits contract or call your health plan rep to learn about your benefit options. Also note, insurances companies:

• Often change their provider network, so please verify with your plan if there have been any provider or coverage changes.
• Require prior authorization, paperwork verifying the need for services. If prior authorization is required, we will obtain this from your primary care provider before your appointment.

Managed Care Plans

HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations) and PPOs (Preferred Provider Organizations)

The Carls Center billing staff will arrange for any needed prior authorizations required by HMO, PPO, or POS plans, in order to try to arrange for payment coverage clearance prior to our seeing you. Prior authorizations may also be needed for non-emergency out-of-network care prior to being seen at the Carls Center. If authorization is denied by the insurance carrier, the patient can still be seen at the Carls Center on a fee-for-service basis.

The CMU Student Health Insurance Plan is available for CMU students, their spouses, and dependents to purchase. To view the plan brochure and application form for enrollment, go to www.firststudent.com.

Please Note:

The patient remains responsible for the payment of any co-pays or deductibles required by the health insurance plan. Certain insurance and community service programs cover specific diagnostic tests or treatment interventions. For instance, many insurance plans cover hearing testing, but may not cover the purchase of prescribed hearing aids. Please check with your health plan or program, and consult with our Business Office staff to learn what is covered and options for getting the help of needed services.