What Carilion Bill Pay is and how to use it
Carilion Bill Pay is the online payment system run by Carilion Clinic, a health system based in Roanoke, Virginia that operates hospitals and clinics across southwestern Virginia and southern West Virginia. You use it to pay medical bills from Carilion facilities directly through their website or mobile app, rather than mailing a check or calling a payment line.
To pay online, you log into your patient account on Carilion's website, find your bill, and enter payment information — either a bank account for an electronic transfer or a debit or credit card. The system processes the payment immediately and sends you a confirmation number. You can also set up automatic recurring payments if you have a payment plan.
Carilion Bill Pay is free to use. There are no transaction fees charged by Carilion itself, though your bank may charge a fee if you use a credit card or if you set up an electronic transfer through your bank's bill pay service instead of Carilion's system.
Key Takeaways
- You can pay Carilion bills online through their patient portal, by phone, or by mailing a check to the address on your bill.
- Online payments through Carilion Bill Pay are free and process immediately, giving you a confirmation number right away.
- If you use a credit card to pay online, Carilion does not charge a fee, but your credit card company may treat it as a cash advance or charge a processing fee.
- Payments by mail take 7 to 10 business days to reach Carilion and post to your account, so mail early if you have a due date.
- If you cannot pay the full bill, contact Carilion's patient financial services to ask about payment plans or financial hardship programs.
How to set up your Carilion patient account
Before you can use Carilion Bill Pay, you need a patient account on Carilion's website. Go to carilion.org and look for a "Patient Portal" or "Login" link. If you do not have an account yet, select "Create Account" or "Register" and enter your name, date of birth, and the phone number or email address associated with your Carilion records.
Carilion will send you a verification code by email or text. Enter that code to confirm your identity, then create a username and password. Once your account is active, you can log in and view all bills from Carilion facilities you have visited. Your account will show the balance owed, the due date, and a link to pay.
If you have trouble creating an account or do not receive a verification code, call Carilion's patient services line. The number is on your bill or on the Carilion website. They can help you set up access or reset your password.
Payment methods and what each one costs
Carilion Bill Pay accepts electronic bank transfers (ACH), debit cards, and credit cards. Electronic transfers are the cheapest option — Carilion charges no fee, and most banks do not charge a fee either if you initiate the transfer from Carilion's website rather than your own bank's bill pay service.
Debit card payments are also free through Carilion Bill Pay. Credit card payments are free through Carilion's system, but your credit card company may charge a cash advance fee or process it as a purchase with a fee — check your card's terms. Some credit card issuers do not allow payments to medical providers at all, so test with a small amount first if you are unsure.
If you pay by mail, there is no fee, but you must account for mail delivery time. Write your account number on the check, include the payment stub from your bill, and mail it to the address printed on your statement. Allow 7 to 10 business days for the payment to arrive and post to your account.
What happens if you miss a payment or cannot pay on time
If your bill is not paid by the due date, Carilion will typically send you a past-due notice in the mail. The notice will state the new amount owed and a new due date, usually 15 to 30 days later. At this stage, you can still pay online without penalty.
If you do not pay after the past-due notice, Carilion may refer your account to a collection agency. This will appear on your credit report and affect your credit score. Collection accounts can stay on your report for up to seven years, even after you pay.
If you know you cannot pay the full amount by the due date, contact Carilion's patient financial services before the bill becomes past due. They can discuss payment plans, which let you pay the bill in smaller installments over time. Some plans have no interest; others may charge interest depending on the amount and length of the plan. Carilion may also have financial hardship programs for patients with low income or unexpected medical expenses.
Setting up automatic payments and payment plans
If you have a payment plan with Carilion, you can set up automatic payments through your patient account so you do not have to remember to pay each month. Log in, find the bill or payment plan, and select the option to autopay. Choose the payment method (bank account or debit card), the amount, and the date each month when the payment should be taken.
Automatic payments will continue until the balance is paid off or until you cancel them. You can change or cancel an automatic payment at any time through your account. If a payment fails — for example, because your bank account does not have enough funds — Carilion will usually send you a notice and may retry the payment a few days later.
To set up a payment plan in the first place, you must contact Carilion's patient financial services by phone or through your patient account. They will review your bill and your situation, then offer you a plan with a specific monthly payment amount and due date. Once the plan is approved, you can set up autopay for it.
Disputing a charge or getting a bill explanation
If you see a charge on your Carilion bill that you do not recognize or believe is wrong, do not ignore it. Log into your patient account and look for a "Contact Us" or "Message" option, or call the billing phone number on your bill. Explain which charge you are questioning and why.
Carilion's billing department will review your account and the service dates. They may send you an itemized bill that breaks down what you were charged for — the procedure, the facility fee, the anesthesia, and so on. If the charge is truly an error, they will correct it and send you a new bill. If the charge is correct but you do not understand why, ask for an explanation in writing.
Disputing a charge does not stop you from having to pay the bill, but it does create a record that you questioned it. If Carilion later refers the account to a collection agency, you can provide that record as evidence that you were working to resolve the issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay a Carilion bill without creating an online account?
Yes. You can mail a check to the address on your bill, or call the billing phone number on your statement to pay by phone with a debit or credit card. Phone payments are processed the same day and you will receive a confirmation number. However, online payment through your patient account is faster and gives you a record of the transaction immediately.
What if I have a bill from multiple Carilion facilities?
Each facility may send a separate bill with its own account number and due date. Log into your patient account and you should see all of them listed. You can pay each one individually through Carilion Bill Pay, or you can call billing and ask if they can consolidate the bills into one statement.
Does paying by credit card help my credit score?
Paying a medical bill by credit card does not directly help your credit score — the payment itself is not reported to credit bureaus. However, if you use a credit card and then pay off the card balance on time, that does help your credit score because it shows you are managing credit responsibly. Medical debt that goes unpaid and is sent to collections will hurt your score.
Can I set up a payment plan if I owe money from multiple visits?
Yes. Contact Carilion's patient financial services and tell them the total amount you owe across all bills. They can often combine the balances into a single payment plan with one monthly payment, rather than requiring you to pay each bill separately.
What should I do if Carilion's website is down and I need to pay?
Call the billing phone number on your bill and pay by phone using a debit or credit card. Phone payments are available during business hours and process the same day. If it is after hours and your payment is due soon, you can mail a check and include a note with the date you mailed it, in case there is a question about whether it arrived on time.