Medical bills

Littlejen22 · February 2014

I am hoping someone knows the real answer to this. Please also let me know if your answer is from experience, because you work in the medical field, etc. if an adult child in on parents insurance, does billing go to the parent that holds the insurance or to the patient? I was just shocked to get a bill for my step-daughter instead of it going to her.

smerka · February 2014

The bill goes to whomever is the policy holder. All of my medical bills are addressed to my husband, who carries our insurance.

IAmSherlocked · February 2014

I'm not sure if this universal or not, but when I was on my dad's insurance I'm pretty sure everything from my doctor's offices got sent to me (test results, individual bill for something not covered by insurance, etc.) and then for the most part bills, insurance cards, etc got sent to my parents directly since my dad was the primary on the insurance plan--whenever that happened my mom would just forward the docs to me, or pay the bill and I would transfer money to her account. I'm pretty sure they aren't allowed to send you the actual test results or anything because of privacy laws (I remember one time going to the clinic on my college campus because there was a meningitis outbreak and my mom tagged along since she was visiting campus. They wouldn't even talk with her in the room even though I told them it was ok and we weren't even talking about anything personal!)

Our auto insurance worked out the same way (everything sent directly to my parents), and I'm pretty sure dental/vision was the same, although I honestly can't remember.

It was never a big deal between my parents and I since we are pretty open about everything, but I have heard stories from friends who are still on their parents' insurance plans where bills are sent to the parents instead of to my friends, and their parent's then find out some stuff that my friends would have preferred to keep quiet.

Wulfgar · February 2014

It goes to the primary on the insurance. If that is you, then it goes to you.

blondie42107 · February 2014

My understanding is that any EOB, etc would go to the person that holds the insurance. Now the actual billing is probably less strict. She should be able to inform her health providers to bill to her directly.

(You didn't specify but I'll just say I would have gladly paid copays, etc to continue on my parents insurance at the end of college until I got my first job w/ benefits.)

All of my medical bills (prenatal, delivery, postpartum, lactation supply, annual gyn, etc) all come in my name because I'm the patient.

vlagrl29 · February 2014

It goes to the policy holder. When i got my own insurance when I was 23 and kicked off my dad's many years ago, I was shocked to see how expensive everything was!

bingbongsmama · February 2014

My husband gets bills for our child, as he is the policy holder. Our insurance is through his job.

mana8503 · February 2014

blondie42107 said:
My understanding is that any EOB, etc would go to the person that holds the insurance. Now the actual billing is probably less strict. She should be able to inform her health providers to bill to her directly.

This from my experience. I cover my step kids insurance. I get the eob, but since they are still minors, the person with custody is suppose to cover the bills (per their agreement) . Ex never changed stepson to her so we end up with his bills and settle it amongst our selves. I had to call billing to check about how this is suppose to go. Stepdaughter is in the system under ex, so we don't get those bills.

Your stepdaughter should change it so she gets the bills. And you should go over the eob to make sure it all matches up (what insurance paid, what you owe vs the bill).

emily1004 · February 2014

I thought bills come to whomever's address is on file at the doctor's office billing company. My MIL is not on our insurance, but her bills come to us because we handle her finances and we gave them our address.

Littlejen22 · February 2014

I did not have a time to call the lab billing department today but DH got a bill for my 24yo SD today. It is a very small bill but it should have gone to her and not us. I am concerned because she is pregnant and she is infamous for not paying bills so I really don't want to be dealing this getting every bill to us and I am worried about them coming after us for non-payment if/when it happens.

blondie42107 · February 2014

emily1004 said:

I thought bills come to whomever's address is on file at the doctor's office billing company. My MIL is not on our insurance, but her bills come to us because we handle her finances and we gave them our address.

Yes. I have also seen this when people have conservators or adults have guardians.

vlagrl29 · February 2014

Littlejen22 said:

I did not have a time to call the lab billing department today but DH got a bill for my 24yo SD today. It is a very small bill but it should have gone to her and not us. I am concerned because she is pregnant and she is infamous for not paying bills so I really don't want to be dealing this getting every bill to us and I am worried about them coming after us for non-payment if/when it happens.

call the insurance and see if you can get her bills mailed to her physical address. With pregnancy there will be LOTS of bills. If you get them in her name then she is responsible and will get the calls from the collection agency.

Erikan73 · February 2014

You do need to get those bills changed to her name and address. Because if the billls are in your name, you are then the one responsible to pay for them. But if the medical bills are in her name, if she doesn't pay then they will go after her. It may be a good time to try to talk to a financial counselor about how not paying bills can hurt her down the road like when she applies for an apartment or goes to buy a house and how hard & long it can take to fix years of not being financially responsible.

Medical bills

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