We understand that being a Health Share member is new for many ShareWELL members, and accessing care can initially seem intimidating—especially during an emergency. Rest assured, we’re here to guide you through every step of your emergency room visit as a self-pay patient.
Step 1: Declare Yourself as a Self-Pay Patient
As a ShareWELL member, you’ll be considered a self-pay patient. This status allows you to take advantage of self-pay discounts and ensures you’re billed directly for any expenses related to your visit. When hospital staff ask for your insurance or ID card, simply let them know you’re self-pay and request that the bill be sent directly to you. Keep in mind you won’t need to make any payments that day. The hospital will mail you the bill, and we’ll guide you on handling it once it arrives.
Step 2: Open a Sharing Request
After your emergency room visit, opening a Sharing Request with ShareWELL is important as soon as possible. This step is essential to begin having your eligible medical expenses considered for sharing.
To submit a Sharing Request, visit:
Step 3: Confirm Your Bills Eligibility
Once you’ve submitted your Sharing Request, we will review it to determine eligibility for sharing. You may need to sign a HIPAA form, which permits us to gather the necessary medical records from your provider. Review the Member Guidelines to ensure your expenses qualify for sharing.
Step 4: Pay Your Unshared Amount (UA)
If your request is determined eligible for sharing, you’ll be responsible for paying your Unshared Amount (UA), which you selected when you enrolled with ShareWELL. You can pay this directly to ShareWELL or pay your provider. Just be sure to submit the itemized statements and payment receipts. ShareWELL always recommends not paying your bill until we let you know to do so. This allows us to negotiate on your behalf and leverage the self-pay discounts available to you.
Step 5: Submit Your Bills
Finally, submit any bills you receive from the emergency room to ShareWELL. Be sure to include all relevant documentation, such as itemized bills, visit notes, and payment receipts, so we can process your request quickly. ShareWELL will offer several ways to pay your bill directly with your provider, including an instant debit card option.
We know that navigating an emergency room visit as a self-pay patient can be daunting, but following these steps allows you to manage the process smoothly. Declare yourself as a self-pay patient, promptly open your Sharing Request, ensure your expenses are eligible, handle your Unshared Amount, and submit your bills to ShareWELL. This will help you maximize your ShareWELL membership and ensure a more seamless experience.
For more information and resources, visit our website or reach out directly. What happens after I submit a Sharing Request?