If a patient comes in for a physical examination because they are applying for life insurance coverage, who is the bill sent to?

When a patient undergoes a physical examination specifically for the purpose of applying for life insurance coverage, the responsibility for payment typically falls to the life insurance company. This is because the examination is being conducted as part of the insurance application process, and the insurer requires it to evaluate the applicant's health and determine the risk they are taking on by providing coverage.

The life insurance company often directly reimburses the healthcare provider for the examination costs associated with assessing the applicant. In these cases, the examination is not related to ongoing healthcare needs but specifically to the underwriting process for insurance approval. This distinguishes it from a standard patient-provider interaction where a patient's regular health insurer or the patient themselves would typically be billed for services rendered.

In contrast, while there may be situations where insurers cover health examinations, for life insurance applications the charges are tailored to the contractual agreement between the insurer and the medical provider, making the life insurance company the appropriate billing entity.