Can your doctor bill you before submitting a claim to secondary insurance?

In the United States, medical providers (including doctors) can bill patients for medical services provided regardless of whether they have submitted a claim to the patient's insurance companies. This is known as "balance billing" or "surprise billing."

However, there are some instances where balance billing may be limited. For example, under certain circumstances and depending on the state, some providers may not be able to balance bill patients if the patient is covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

Additionally, some private insurers may have contracts with providers that prohibit them from balance billing patients. However, it is important for patients to check their insurance policies and confirm whether they have balance billing protection before seeking medical care.

If you receive a bill from your doctor before they have submitted a claim to your secondary insurance, you may want to contact your insurance company to determine whether the bill is covered under your policy. If it is not, you may want to discuss payment arrangements with your doctor or consider seeking care from an in-network provider to avoid balance billing.