More Illinois hospitals hold off on coronavirus billing

More Illinois hospitals are holding off on billing for services related to the new coronavirus.

UnityPoint Health said that it’s holding any billing for services in hospitals and clinics associated with COVID-19 until at least April 1. That will allow regulatory bodies and payers time to determine coverage and update their systems to accept claims, per Leah Huibregtse, spokeswoman for UnityPoint Health-Meriter in Madison, Wis.

“We will not send out any patient bills until we have a clear understanding of how the payers will process these claims, and any additional governmental resources that may be brought to bear,” she wrote in an email. “During this time, we continue to encourage community members to seek necessary treatment regardless of cost of care considerations.”

Advocate Aurora Health said last week that it’s temporarily refraining from sending patient bills related to the new virus.

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