If I present my insurance card to the doctors office, are they supposed advise me whether I am covered ?

I recieved a bill from a doctor visit in Dec 2004. I called to inquire why I was just getting the bill now. They stated the claim was declined by my insurance 5 times. The insurance company advised me that the doctor seen was not on my insurance. There are 2 doctors in the office that are.I asked the office manager why I was given a non participating doctor and she said he is under my insurance but not the network open insurance. I don't understand and the doctors office claims I should have known it would'nt be covered.If I present my insurance card to the doctors office, are they supposed advise me whether I am covered ?
It is the patient's responsibility to know how their insurance works. I do insurance billing and I do it all day and I still don't understand how some of it works. Everyone's policy is different, and some people have exclusions that the doctor's office can't possibly know about. Sometimes when calling a patient's insurance company to find out about benefits, I get hit with confidentiality disclaimers, and disclaimers that the call is no guarantee that a claim will be paid, and that benefits are determined at the time the claim is filed. Read your policy and call and ask questions of your insurance company, otherwise I've found that it's a real crapshoot!!!!!If I present my insurance card to the doctors office, are they supposed advise me whether I am covered ?
Yes, Insurance Company's can tell you which doctors they will pay and which ones they won't. Please go back thru your policy and read the fine print.
yes they do.
No. It's the patient's responsibility to know if the service they are about to recieve will be covered by their insurance. Hell, I barely trust the lady at the front desk to be able to give me my next appt date, let alone udnerstand my insurance.
most receptionists will tell you if the insurance covers it, as they have the list of approved insurance holders they deal with. however, this may be limited because you only speak english and so cannot pc ask the question