Frequently Asked Questions
Understanding medical billing can be complicated, with deductibles, copays, and often multiple bills. At the Mount Sinai Health System, we are here to help. Below are some of the questions we hear most often about billing and insurance.
Top FAQs
How can I find out whether Mount Sinai takes my insurance?
You should contact your doctor’s office directly to confirm whether your insurance is accepted. You can also check Mount Sinai’s “Find a Doctor” feature to find out whether a particular doctor accepts your insurance. You can learn more about the health plans our hospitals participate in by visiting our hospital Insurance Information page.
I have insurance, so why am I receiving a bill from Mount Sinai?
You are responsible for paying any costs that your insurance company does not cover, including items like your copay, deductible, and other non-covered charges. Unless prior arrangements were made, you receive a bill after the costs associated with your visit have been processed by your insurance company.
The amount you are billed is based on what your insurance communicates to us in an Explanation of Benefits (EOB). If you do not have insurance and believe you cannot afford to pay, consult our financial assistance policy.
I received an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from my insurer. Why am I also receiving a bill from Mount Sinai?
Your EOB is different from your Mount Sinai bill. Your Explanation of Benefits summarizes the services you received, the associated costs, and how much your insurance carrier paid. You receive a bill from Mount Sinai after costs associated with your visit are processed by your insurance. You are responsible for paying any costs that your insurance company does not cover.
Your health insurer sends the EOB to help you track your expenses and the limits of your plan (e.g., your deductible, your out-of-pocket maximum, etc.).
Why does my Explanation of Benefits (EOB) not match my Mount Sinai bill?
There are several reasons why the amount you owe on your EOB might not match your Mount Sinai bill. Generally speaking, your EOB should match your bill, unless your insurance company does not cover certain services.
These can include, but are not limited to:
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Your EOB is combining several visits together, while Mount Sinai bills for each individual visit.
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You elected for a private room during your hospital stay that your insurance did not cover.
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You elected for cosmetic or other non-medical services that were not covered by your insurance carrier.
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Your insurance carrier did not cover the NYS Surcharge and you are responsible for paying this tax.
Please contact the customer service phone number on your bills or call 212-987-3100 if you have any questions.
What if I disagree with my balance or the charges on my statement?
We’re happy to speak with you about any billing details or questions you might have. Please contact the phone number listed on your bill or call 212-987-3100 to speak with our Customer Service team.
Why am I getting a bill from a physician I never saw?
You may receive bills from physicians you did not see in person if you have certain tests or treatments in the hospital. These bills are for the professional services doctors provided in diagnosing and interpreting test results while you were a patient.
Why am I receiving multiple bills from Mount Sinai?
When you receive care at Mount Sinai, you may receive more than one bill. For example, if you have a visit with one of our physicians and you also have blood drawn for lab tests, you may receive a bill from your physician and a separate bill from the lab.
How can I pay my bill?
There are several convenient ways to pay Mount Sinai bills for yourself or someone else—the quickest and easiest is to pay online. Most bills can be found on MyMountSinai, our patient portal, but you can look at your billing statement for the link to pay online.
Online: To pay online, please look at the billing statement for a link, a guarantor number, phone number, or other information that you may need to log in. You can pay for yourself or someone else, such as a family member.
By phone: You can call us at the number on your billing statement to pay by phone. During normal business hours, you can speak with a customer service agent. For some of our locations, you can also pay over our 24/7 automated system.
By mail: You can mail in your payment with the payment stub to the appropriate location listed on your bill.
My insurance information or personal information has changed. How can I update you?
If your insurance or personal information is incorrect or not listed on your statement, please call the number listed on your billing statement. For some of our sites, you might also have the option to update your information through our online billing portal.
If I can't pay my bill, do you offer financial assistance?
Mount Sinai can help patients who have difficulty paying their hospital bills. To learn more about whether you qualify, consult our financial assistance policy.
If you have difficulty paying your physician bill, contact your physician’s office directly to learn about potential financial assistance policies they might have.
Understanding My Bill
Q: What is my guarantor number?
The guarantor number is the unique number associated with the person responsible for paying a bill. You should see this number listed on your billing statements. Make sure to have your guarantor number handy when paying your bills online or by phone.
Q: What is a copay?
A copay (short for copayment) is a fixed amount you pay for a covered health care service. Copays are a form of cost sharing between you and your insurer, and you might have different copay amounts for different services.
Q: What is a deductible?
A deductible is a fixed-dollar amount that you need to pay before your insurer begins to cover your medical services. You normally pay a deductible during a given period of time (your “benefits period”), and afterwards, you usually pay only a copayment or coinsurance for covered services.
Q: What is coinsurance?
Coinsurance is the percentage of costs you pay for covered health care services after meeting your deductible. For example, let’s say your health insurance plan allowed $100 for an office visit and your coinsurance is 15 percent. If you’ve paid your deductible, you will pay 15 percent of $100, or $15. Generally, you will pay coinsurance until meeting your plan’s out-of-pocket maximum.
Q: What is the “NYS Surcharge” I see on my bill?
The “NYS Surcharge” you see on your bill is a tax on the hospital services that you receive. Under New York State’s Health Care Reform Act (HCRA), we are required to collect the surcharge and to pay it to New York State’s Department of Health. Some insurance carriers will pay the NY State Surcharge on your behalf, but this varies by insurance carrier. If your insurance carrier did not pay this tax or you do not have health care coverage, you are responsible for paying the NY State Surcharge and we are required to pay the collected Surcharge to the State. If you have questions about your bill, call the phone number on your billing statement.
If you have a question regarding the NY State Surcharge, contact the New York State Department of Health at 518-474-1673 from 9 am – 5 pm, or check the department’s website.
Q: What if I disagree with my balance or the charges on my statement?
We’re happy to speak with you about any billing details or questions you might have. Please contact the phone number listed on your bill or call 212-987-3100 to speak with our Customer Service team.
Q: Why do I keep getting bills?
Billing statements are sent periodically for charges that you have not yet paid. Once payments have been received in full, billing statements are no longer generated.
Q: I paid when I checked in for my appointment. Why did I get a bill later for additional charges?
When you pay a copay at check-in, this fee may only cover part of what you owe. This is especially true if you get additional services during your visit. For example, your doctor may arrange for additional services (like a blood test or an X-ray) after seeing you, so the actual cost of your visit may be higher. If there are any additional charges, you’ll get a bill for the difference later.
Q: I have insurance, so why am I receiving a bill from Mount Sinai?
You are responsible for paying any costs that your insurance company does not cover, including items like your copay, deductible, and other non-covered charges. Unless prior arrangements were made, you receive a bill after the costs associated with your visit have been processed by your insurance company.
The amount you are billed is based on what your insurance communicates to us in an Explanation of Benefits (EOB). If you do not have insurance and believe you cannot afford to pay, consult our financial assistance policy.
Q: I received an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from my insurer. Why am I also receiving a bill from Mount Sinai?
Your EOB is different from your Mount Sinai bill. Your Explanation of Benefits summarizes the services you received, the associated costs, and how much your insurance carrier paid. You receive a bill from Mount Sinai after costs associated with your visit are processed by your insurance. You are responsible for paying any costs that your insurance company does not cover.
Your health insurer sends the EOB to help you track your expenses and the limits of your plan (e.g., your deductible, your out-of-pocket maximum, etc.).
Q: Why am I getting a bill from a physician I never saw?
You may receive bills from physicians you did not see in person if you have certain tests or treatments in the hospital. These bills are for the professional services doctors provided in diagnosing and interpreting test results while you were a patient.
Q: Did you receive my payment?
Please allow three to five business days for your payment to be posted to the system from when first received. If you have reason to believe your payment has not been posted timely, please contact the phone number listed on your bill.
Q: Why am I receiving multiple bills from Mount Sinai?
When you receive care at Mount Sinai, you may receive more than one bill. For example, if you have a visit with one of our physicians and you also have blood drawn for lab tests, you may receive a bill from your physician and a separate bill from the lab.
Paying My Bill
Q: How can I pay my bill?
There are several convenient ways to pay Mount Sinai bills for yourself or someone else—the quickest and easiest is to pay online. Most bills can be found on MyMountSinai, our patient portal, but you can look at your billing statement for the link to pay online.
Online: To pay online, please look at the billing statement for a link, a guarantor number, phone number, or other information that you may need to log in. You can pay for yourself or someone else, such as a family member.
By phone: You can call us at the number on your billing statement to pay by phone. During normal business hours, you can speak with a customer service agent. For some of our locations, you can also pay over our 24/7 automated system.
By mail: You can mail in your payment with the payment stub to the appropriate location listed on your bill.
Q: Can I pay a bill without creating an online account?
Yes, you may pay a bill without creating an online account. Please visit the link to the online billing portal on your billing statement, and you can use the one-time payment, quick pay, or pay without enrolling option. Your billing statement provides the guarantor number or other relevant information required to complete payment online.
Q: Why do I still have a balance when I paid my bill?
When you pay your bill, your payment is used to cover any unpaid bills first, starting with the oldest charges you owe. You may still have a balance for services received in the Mount Sinai Health System if your payment doesn't cover your total balance.
Q: Why wasn’t my payment applied to the service date I expected?
Our policy is to apply payments to the oldest balance first, in order to prevent unpaid bills from going to collections. If you have questions about how your payment was applied or want help with a specific bill, please contact our billing team at 212-987-3100.
Online Account
Q: I'm not seeing an option to pay my bill on your Mount Sinai Patient Billing Portal. Why?
For each bill you pay online, make sure to use the online portal listed on your billing statement. Most bills can be found in MyMountSinai, but there are a few exceptions:
- Lab tests (such as blood tests) at a doctor’s office or outpatient clinic
- Ambulance service
- Home infusion
- New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai
- PeakPoint Midtown West Surgery Center
- PeakPoint Flatiron Surgery Center
- Upper West Side Endoscopy
Insurance
Q: How can I find out whether Mount Sinai takes my insurance?
You should contact your doctor’s office directly to confirm whether your insurance is accepted. You can also check Mount Sinai’s “Find a Doctor” feature to find out whether a particular doctor accepts your insurance. You can learn more about the health plans our hospitals participate in by visiting our hospital Insurance Information page.
Q: My insurance information or personal information has changed. How can I update you?
If your insurance or personal information is incorrect or not listed on your statement, please call the number listed on your billing statement. For some of our sites, you might also have the option to update your information through our online billing portal.
Q: Why was my secondary insurance plan not billed for my services?
If you have a secondary insurance plan that you feel has not been billed, please contact us at the customer service number on your billing statement to update your insurance information. For some of our sites, you might also have the option to update your information through an online billing portal.
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Financial Assistance
Q: If I can't pay my bill, do you offer financial assistance?
Mount Sinai can help patients who have difficulty paying their hospital bills. To learn more about whether you qualify, consult our financial assistance policy.
If you have difficulty paying your physician bill, contact your physician’s office directly to learn about potential financial assistance policies they might have.
Q: What are the requirements to qualify for financial assistance?
To learn more about our financial assistance requirements, consult our financial assistance policy.
Q: I was approved for your financial assistance program in the past, but I need more medical care now. What do I do?
Financial assistance is awarded on a case-by-case basis. To determine whether additional medical care will be covered by our financial assistance policy, please reapply by consulting our financial assistance requirements.
Q: Does Mount Sinai's financial assistance program cover all of Mount Sinai's hospitals and doctors?
Financial assistance may not always be applicable for all professional services. To learn more, consult our financial assistance requirements.
Q: If I apply for financial assistance, is this information made public?
No. All information in your application is kept confidential.