Yesterday’s mail brought this correspondence from my health care provider:
A review of your request for an inpatient admission at [hospital name] has been completed. It has been determined, based on current guidelines, medical policies and/or your Certificate of Coverage, that this service with the above listed provider is eligible for Benefit Coverage.
This approval is subject to the terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions of the benefit contract at the time services are provided and is based upon the information [health plan] has at this time. This approval is not a guarantee of payment. New information and/or changes in existing information may result in a different decision when the claim is received and reviewed. The above approval number must be included when submitting the claim for payment.
The decision to pay a provider claim is made only after the services have been rendered and the claim has been received in the appropriate form (electronically or in writing) and with sufficient information to make a payment determination. [Health plan] pursues coordination with other carriers as appropriate.
Services not listed above require additional approval. A member may be billed only for applicable copayments, deductibles and/or services that are not a covered benefit.
So they sent my heart attack to a committee, decided I was probably sick, and are likely to pay my bills. Then sent me a form letter written by a lawyer. That’s reassuring.