Who does what?
When it comes to hospitalization insurance, each insurer works differently. Some require you to fill out documents beforehand, others work by reimbursement on paid invoice. Check with the organization concerned. Do not send an invoice to your health insurance fund without obtaining your information beforehand. When you receive a bill or even a reminder for your health care, check with your mutual/hospitalization insurance to see if there is any coverage and the steps to take. Do not wait for your health insurance to contact you.
Don't forget that the service provider (doctor, hospital, laboratory, others…) is still not paid. He can choose to entrust the recovery of his unpaid invoices to a collection company. You risk finding yourself involuntarily in arrears.
Before the medical service
As soon as you make the appointment, ask the contact person how much the service will cost and if it is covered by the mutual insurance company or your hospitalization insurance. Some doctors are contracted others are not. If they are not, you will not be reimbursed or only slightly. You can also ask if everything is paid for on the spot or if they work on account instead.
During and after the performance
When you pay on the spot, that does not mean that everything is in order. Indeed, the medical profession generally requests payment during the visit. However, in the event of additional examinations, this may be billed a posteriori, sometimes several months after the treatment. Worry, if in the 3 months following the service, you still have not received an invoice. Do not hesitate to contact the service provider to obtain your invoice and thus avoid having to deal with late payment.
In case of hospitalization
If you are hospitalized, remember to check with the administrative department before your departure if a billing will follow? Confirm your contact details and ask them if it is necessary to carry out administrative procedures with your mutual insurance company or your hospitalization insurance. Expect again, in the following months, to receive other bills (e.g. radio from the emergency service, provision of a thermometer, medical analysis, medication, etc.) that would not be covered by your mutual.
If you do not know how to pay these invoices, contact their legal department directly to find a payment solution as soon as possible rather than waiting for a reminder. You will thus avoid additional costs but also unnecessary stress to your good recovery.