Insurance, Billing and Payment
Patient Account Services
Insurance and billing can be overwhelming — the Bluestone Billing and Insurance teams are available to assist with your questions. Please review the information below for information about commonly asked questions.
We also are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT at 1-877-599-1039 or by email paymybill@bluestonemd.com or Insurance@bluestonemd.com.
Accepted Insurance Plans
We are contracted with most major insurers, including Medicare and Medicaid. Review this list of Accepted Insurance(s), which are the most common payers in network (INN) with Bluestone. If you do not see your current health insurance payer listed, you have plan-specific questions, or you recently changed your insurance plan please reach out to us by phone or email: 612-424-0273 or Insurance@bluestonemd.com.
Managed-care insurance
If you are covered by a health maintenance organization (HMO), preferred provider organization (PPO), or another managed-care plan, we will verify the conditions of your coverage and confirm our participation in your plan before we can begin our care.
Pre-Certification
Some insurance plans require prior approval of hospitalizations, referrals, or procedures. This is usually a requirement in managed-care coverage. Your Bluestone care team will send the insurer the necessary information. We want to ensure that all approvals are in place so that you receive the maximum payment from your insurance carrier to decrease your out-of-pocket expense.
Patient Financial Responsibility Summary
Patients are responsible for knowing if their plan is in-network and for paying any co-pays, deductibles, or charges not covered by insurance. You may also receive separate bills for services like labs or imaging.
The Patient Financial Agreement authorizes Bluestone to bill your insurance directly and allow necessary information to be shared for billing and care. You agree to keep your insurance information up to date and pay any balances that become your responsibility. We are available to work through individual financial situations — please reach out with any questions.
Advance cost estimate notice for private pay patients
Bluestone does not accept patients who are uninsured or opt to privately pay for services. If you’d like to receive care with Bluestone, we encourage you to explore coverage options that may be available through your county, Medicare or Medicaid, or the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Choosing a health insurance plan
2026 Medicare Annual Enrollment is Oct. 15-Dec. 7 — a time to check in on your coverage and make sure it still supports your health needs. Medicare Advantage plans can change each year, and some plans have announced they are discontinuing coverage. Bluestone is here to educate you about your options and help you feel confident choosing a plan that’s best for you.
Here are a few questions to consider asking your insurance provider to confirm your coverage:
- Can I continue seeing my existing healthcare team on the health plan I am considering?
- Are my prescriptions covered by this plan?
- Is my pharmacy in this plan’s network?
- Am I able to get the care I want for a cost I can afford?
- Does this plan include the benefits that are most important to me?
- Is preapproval needed for hospital admissions, diagnostic tests, or imaging scans? If so, what’s the process?
- What rules or guidelines are there for getting a second opinion?
- What is the process for filing claims?
- What if any, deductibles must be met before the insurance begins paying claims, including those for prescriptions and lab work?
- Does my insurance policy have limits on what they will pay for Behavioral Health or Psychiatric services for example?
- Does my policy cover new treatments or participation in clinical trials? If so, are there any limitations?
Resources:
- Visit Medicare’s Find Health & Drug Plans to compare your current Medicare or Medicare Advantage health plan to the health plans we currently accept.
- Visit your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for free, unbiased support.
How health insurance billing works
After your visit, Bluestone will bill your insurance. In order to do this, we need a copy of your insurance card with complete and accurate information about your health plan, as well as your full name, address, phone number, date of birth and insurance identification number.
If any of this information is incomplete or incorrect it could result in a denial from your insurance. The accuracy of this information is the patient’s responsibility; therefore, you could be held responsible for the balance if your carrier denies it due to inaccurate or incomplete information.
Your insurance will notify Bluestone of the amount of your visit that is covered by insurance and what they determined to be patient responsibility (co-pays, co-insurance, or deductible amount). At that point, you will receive a bill for the remaining balance, which is due as soon as you receive the first account statement.
The timeline for insurance processing varies by company so, you may not immediately receive a bill. Do not assume that if you have not yet been billed there is no balance due.
Payment options for out-of-pocket costs
Payment for your visit and services are due upon receipt of your billing statement and are due in full. This includes co-payments, co-insurance, and unmet deductibles. There are several convenient options for you to make a payment:
By phone
877-599-1039 Option 3
Postal mail
For payment by mail, please include your patient account number on the memo line to:
MN/WI Market Statements
Bluestone Physician Services PA
270 North Main Street, Suite 300
Stillwater, MN 55082
Florida Market Statements
Bluestone Physician Services FL
10150 Highland Manor Drive, Suite 205
Tampa, FL 33610
Co-payments and deductibles
We are required by Medicare and insurance companies to collect appropriate copays and deductibles. Please speak with a member of our patient account services team if you have any questions about this requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a health insurance network?
A health insurance network is a group of doctors and medical care providers across multiple specialties that have a contract to provide health care services to members of a health insurance plan.
What is In-Network (INN)?
When you see a doctor, who is in-network, you are using a provider who directly contracts/participates with your health insurance plan. Some health insurance plans only cover INN, while others cover both INN and OON care. If your health plan covers OON too, staying INN often still reduces the amount you may pay for health care.
What is Out-of-Network (OON)?
OON means that the doctor or health care organization does not have a contract with your health insurance plan carrier. This can sometimes result in higher prices.