Patient Resources

Patient Rights and Protections

NCS provides the highest level of quality and customer service to its patients, providing the following rights to patients.

Patient Rights

1. The patient has the right to considerate and respectful care when intraoperative monitoring services are being provided.
2. The patient has the right to every consideration of privacy. Any discussion about the monitoring to be provided will be conducted discreetly.
3. The patient is entitled to information about the intraoperative monitoring procedures. The patient has the right to know the name of the person responsible for the monitoring.
4. The patient has the right to refuse intraoperative monitoring and to be informed of the medical consequences of doing so.
5. The patient has the right to expect that all communications and records pertaining to the monitoring should be treated as confidential, except as otherwise required by law.
6. The patient has the right to review the monitoring report and to have the information explained as necessary.
7. The patient has the right to know about business relationships among NCS, educational institutions, other healthcare providers, or payers that may influence the patient’s treatment and care.
8. The patient has the right to examine and receive explanation of any bill for monitoring services, regardless of the source of payment (if applicable).
9. The patient has the right to information about pain and pain relief measures, a concerned staff committed to pain prevention and management, and health professionals who respond quickly to reports of pain.
10. The patient has the right to voice concerns regarding the monitoring services provided, as well as to have those concerns reviewed and, when possible, resolved.

Patient Responsibilities

1. The patient is responsible for honoring financial commitments for the monitoring services provided, as applicable.
2. The patient is responsible for observing the rules and regulations of the hospital or other facility where he/she is being treated, including in relation to receipt of monitoring services.
3. The patient is responsible for providing monitoring personnel with accurate and complete information regarding past medical history, as applicable.

Supporting Documents

Authorization for Release of Health Information
Please mail the completed Authorization for Release of Health Information to:
NuVasive Clinical Services Monitoring, Inc.
Attn: Medical Records
10275 Little Patuxent Parkway #300
Columbia, MD 21044

Patient Billing

NCS commits to partnering with patients and providers to support all parties through the billing process. Coverage for IONM services will vary by insurance provider. Please coordinate with your carrier prior to surgery.

Rights and Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills

If physician services are provided, those services will be billed separately to your insurance provider. Depending on your insurance, the monitoring physician may be out of network. If you receive IONM services from an out-of-network physician but you were treated at an in-network facility, applicable law may require insurance plans and the IONM provider to limit the amount you may owe. Information about protection from surprise medical bills and state resources can be found below:

• No Surprises Act disclosure notice
• New York disclosure notice
• Virginia disclosure notice
• Washington disclosure notice
• New Hampshire disclosure notice

State Resources

Good Faith Estimate

If you are an uninsured or self-pay patient and would like to request a good faith estimate of charges for IONM physician charges, call our Patient Care Specialists at 833-529-6665.

IONM Reimbursement and Payment

After the claim is processed, your insurer will issue an explanation of benefits (EOB) outlining the charges for the monitoring services you received. The EOB is not a bill from the IONM provider and it does not mean you are being “balance billed.” It explains how the insurance claim was processed and the amount of any coinsurance or deductible you may be responsible for based on your plan benefits. After NCS receives the EOB, we will send you a statement for any amount you owe, based on the applicable co-pay or deductible identified by your insurance company.

During the claims processing, NCS may ask that you provide additional information about your insurance coverage or ask that you sign and return an assignment of benefits (AOB) authorizing payment of insurance benefits to the IONM provider and allowing NCS to appeal on your behalf. The AOB allows NCS to engage with your insurer on your behalf in order to get the claim paid correctly.

For billing questions, please call 888.464.2466. Physician bills may come from one of three practice groups: American Neuromonitoring Associates, P.C., Midwest Neuromonitoring Associates, PLLC, or Pacific Neuromonitoring Associates, Inc.

Network Participation

Our physician practice groups are expanding their in-network participation. They are Medicare enrolled providers and participate with a growing number of Blue Cross, Medicaid, and other commercial payer networks as listed here. Depending on your insurance plan, you may receive IONM services from an out-of-network provider.

Billing FAQs

Q: What should I do when I receive an explanation of benefits (EOB) from my insurance company?

No immediate action is needed. Please note that an EOB from the insurance company is not a bill for IONM services. You will receive a separate bill from the IONM provider for the amount of any co-pay, co-insurance, or deductible that is identified by your insurance payer as your responsibility.

Q: What can I do if my claim was processed out of network and I receive a bill from NCS, but my surgery was at an in-network facility?

If you were treated at an in-network facility and you receive a bill, but you believe your claim was processed out of network in error, please call 833.529.6665 or send an email to ncspatientcare@globusmedical.com. Applicable law may require insurance plans to limit the amount you may owe an out-of-network provider if you receive care at an in-network hospital but are unknowingly treated by an out-of-network provider.  If this happens and you receive a bill, NCS can assist by asking your insurance provider to re-process the claim and recalculate your cost-share so that it does not exceed the amount that would apply if the IONM services had been furnished by a participating provider.  Note that it is your plan’s responsibility to tell us what your cost-sharing amount is, based on your individual plan benefits and accumulated costs towards your deductible at time of service.

Q: What should I do if I receive a check from the insurance company?

Although we will follow up with your insurer about the status, claim processing information and checks are often sent directly to the insurance plan member (note that this often happens with Blue Cross accounts). Please forward any payment or correspondence you receive to our office as soon as possible. This will help us to update your account and apply payments properly. If the check is sent directly to you, please forward the check (or write a new check after depositing the insurance payment) and a copy of the EOB to the NCS office at 10275 Little Patuxent Parkway, #300, Columbia MD 21044. To endorse the check, sign on the back and write the name of the physician group that shows on the EOB below your signature. Please call 888.464.2466 with any questions.

Q: What do I do if I have concerns about my ability to pay my bill?

Please call 833.529.6665 and request information about our financial hardship policy and monthly payment plans.