Admissions and Insurance

Preparing for Your Child's Hospitalization

UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh accepts most major health insurance plans and is a participating provider with many managed care plans. Please come to the hospital with your health insurance cards and any authorizations and referrals from your child's primary care physician or health insurance company.

• Contact your insurance company as soon as your child's hospital stay has been scheduled to report your child's scheduled, non-emergency, elective admission.Many insurance companies require authorization from your child's primary care physician, and some insurance companies require a second opinion before authorizing hospitalization. It is your responsibility to comply with your health plan's preauthorization requirements. If you do not contact your insurance company before your child's admission, you may be partially or entirely financially responsible for the hospital bill.
• A Patient Access Representative from the Admissions Department will call several days before your child's scheduled admission date to verify your address and insurance information and answer any questions you may have about the admission process.
• On the day of admission, you may receive a confirmation call from the Admissions Department in the morning to verify your child's scheduled arrival time. You may receive a call before 9 a.m. if your child must be admitted early in the day. If your child has an early morning clinic appointment on the day of admission, please contact the Admissions Department at 412-692-5310 before leaving home.
• When you arrive at the hospital, you may park in the Mid-Campus garage or use the hospital's valet service. After parking, you and your child may go directly to the Admissions Department on 1b. A parent or legal guardian must accompany all children admitted to Children's Hospital. Please allow at least 30 minutes for traffic and parking in addition to your estimated travel time to the hospital.
• In response to federal and state law, patients who are adults—defined by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as people who are 18 years of age or older, graduates of high school or married—will be asked if they have signed an ‘advance directive’ or living will specifying the type of medical treatment they would or would not want if they become terminally ill, and who should make decisions for them if they are unable to speak for themselves. All adult patients also will be informed of their right to refuse treatment and will have the option to sign an advance directive, regardless of their condition or reason for admission.
• A Patient Access Representative will complete the admission process with you on the day of your child’s arrival and answer any questions you or your child may have. Children’s Admissions Department may be reached at 412-692-5310 24 hours a day, seven days a week.