Estimate from ER Visit

Last Friday, I had to take my wife the ER and we left being told that we would be billed. Yesterday, I got a call from the hospital saying that they could go ahead and take a payment from the visit, so I was like, "Sure, I'll pay the whole thing." I also asked to get a receipt so I could reimburse myself through my HSA later.

So I paid the full amount they were asking, got the "receipt" over email, but it wasn't a copy. It was just an account number, how much I paid, etc. Very generic.

I want to reimburse myself, but in order to do that, I need an actual receipt. Called the hospital to get it and they said, "there is no bill yet." To which I responded, "Well, what did I pay then?". The rep said that may have been the estimate and to wait for the actual bill, then my insurance will reimburse me or something.

Is that correct? I've never paid a direct hospital bill. Did I simply just pay an amount that is an "estimate" of what the visit might cost (kind of like a placeholder) until the real bill comes in with the insurance coverage?

submitted by /u/AUBtiger92
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