Billing Information
To protect your privacy, we can discuss billing and financial account details only with you, the patient, or the guarantor for patients under 18. If you would like to give permission for a spouse, guardian, family member, or friend to speak with us about your account, simply complete the form and return it to the Sheridan Memorial Hospital Billing Staff.
Please remember to bring your insurance cards and a photo ID to every visit. Having this information helps us process your claim as quickly and accurately as possible.
After your visit to Sheridan Memorial Hospital or one of our clinics, a bill may be created within three business days. In some cases, additional testing or late results may delay final charges.
You may receive a billing statement while your account is still pending insurance payment. If this happens, please review the Amount Due section carefully, receiving a statement does not always mean a payment is owed at that time.
Once your account is in self-pay status, a statement will be sent showing the final amount due unless otherwise noted. Statements are printed by the 5th of each month and should arrive by the 10th.
Payments are due by the 5th of each month. Nursing Home payments in full are due by the 10th of each month. If you need an itemized statement for long-term care insurance purposes, please let us know and we’ll be happy to add you to our mailing list.
Within 30 days of receiving your initial bill, payment must be made in full, a payment plan arranged, or an application for financial assistance submitted. Our billing team is always available to answer questions and help explore options—please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Payment Options
Sheridan Memorial Hospital Association offers several payment options:
- Payment in Full
- SMHA Payment Agreement
- SMHA Credit Care Loan
- Financial Assistance
Payment in Full
If you opt to pay your account in full you may qualify for a small discount depending on the amount and timeliness. Please contact us.
Payment Agreement
Sheridan Memorial payment agreement must be set up in accordance with our Payment Agreement Schedule. This allows you to keep your account with SMHA interest free anywhere from 3 months to 12 months. Payment Schedule is based on amount owed to Sheridan Memorial.
Credit Care Program
- Credit Care Program is a line of credit Sheridan Memorial has applied for through the Bank of Plentywood.
- All patients can apply for the program. It’s as simple as stopping by the Business Office, providing two forms of identification and signing a few papers.
- Credit Care may not be applied for if a person was final noticed or sent to collections.
- Credit Care allows patients to extend their monthly payments further than Sheridan Memorial payment schedule allows.
- Minimum monthly payment is $25.00
- Interest is applied to Credit Care Program accounts.
- There is a $25.00 activation fee.
- Monthly statements are sent by the Financial Institution rather than Sheridan Memorial.
- Payments are sent directly to the Financial Institution. There is a $5.00 late charge for payments over 10 days past due.
- Credit Care Program does not look at the patient’s credit history; however, payments are reported to the Credit Bureau.
– Credit Care Application
– W9
Financial Assistance
- This Financial Assistance application applies to all providers providing services on behalf of Sheridan Memorial Hospital Association to patients presenting to Sheridan Memorial Hospital Association to include, but not limited to emergency care, medically necessary care in the hospital or clinic etc.
- A list of our providers can be found HERE
- Financial Assistance application is available at the Admissions or Business Offices or can be mailed to you at no expense of the patient.
- It is requested that financial assistance be applied for within 30 days of initial receipt of bill.
- Assistance is based on a list of financial criteria requested in the assistance application. A Financial Assistance Rep will contact you if additional information is required to process your application.
- Financial Assistance may go retro 240 days from receipt of the complete application. All required information must be turned in in a timely fashion or assistance will be denied.
- Prior qualification of funding does not guarantee you will receive funding again.
– Financial Assistance Form
– Financial Assistance Policy
– Financial Assistance Plain Language Summary
– SMHA Sliding Fee Scale*
* Sheridan Memorial Sliding Fee scale is updated on an annual basis based on the Federal Poverty Guidelines from the Federal Register.
Collection Services
Sheridan Memorial Hospital sends statements out to our patients using the address in our database. If, after three months of statements being sent, a payment agreement has not been established or payment in full has not been received, further collection action is taken.
Sheridan Memorial uses one collection agency:
Centron Services
2525 Colonial Drive Ste C
Helena, MT 59624
1-800-223-8112
Once the account is sent off to collections, patients will receive a notice that they are in a 30-day pre-collect. If payment is received in full with-in that 30 days, Sheridan Memorial will be able to pull that account back from the collection agency and the patient’s credit will not be affected.
If payment in full is not received during that 30 day pre-collect the account is no longer in control of Sheridan Memorial and all financial transactions and correspondence must be done through the assigned collection agency.
Detailed Statements
Sheridan Memorial sends statements out to patients by the 15th of every month. These statements show a summary of each visit. It includes the date of service, the type of visit, the provider, amount billed and amount owed. Detailed Statements are available at the request of the patient. These statements will allow for the patient to better understand the total amount billed. Contact Sheridan Memorial Billing Clerk at (406) 765.3700 to request a detailed bill.