If you encounter a health condition that requires treatment, your focus should be on getting better. You shouldn’t have to worry and stress about paying for those treatments and getting help with medical bills. If, in the end, you receive an unexpected medical bill, there are a few things you can explore to help lower your high medical bills and save a substantial sum of money.
- Figure Out Whether the Bill is Correct
High medical bills may contain mistakes. You must review your bill thoroughly before making any payment. If numerous services were provided – such as in the event of a hospital stay or emergency room visit — you should request a detailed itemized bill and go through each line carefully to determine if you received each service. Doctors may have ordered tests that were later canceled. If they are not removed from your record, you may end up being charged for medical services you did not receive.
Mistakes in coding can translate into huge expenses that you could be required to pay. First, you need to understand how bills are structured. Medical bills are comprised of a series of procedure codes, one for each service that is provided to you. Each service must be fully documented in your records in order for it to be charged to you. The provider will bill a fee for each of those services. If the provider is in network with your insurance plan, the allowed amounts for those services are determined by the contracted rates negotiated between the provider and the insurer. The Explanation of Benefits (EOB) you receive from the insurance company will detail the charged amount as well as the allowed amount. You are only responsible for contracted allowed amounts. That’s why it’s important to note any discrepancies such as services being bundled or unbundled, or services being upcoded. These billing errors, along with others, can be disputed and should result in a reduction in your bill.
However, determining whether a medical bill is correct can be difficult as it requires knowledge of complex coding and medical billing processes. If you believe that your bill contains errors, you may consider getting medical bill help from an experienced medical bill dispute advocate.
- Ask for a Reduction
Whether your bill contains errors or not, it never hurts to ask for a reduction if you are a self-pay patient. Even if you don’t have insurance, you may still receive a bill that reflects the inflated rates that would have been charged to the insurance company. Often, a simple phone call can get you a self-pay discount.
If you need help with high medical bills, you can also inquire whether the billing provider offers a medical bill assistance program to help with the overall cost of the bill. No matter what your income level, you should find out if you qualify. While some programs are based on federal poverty level guidelines, others are determined by the facility itself. Be aware that if you are going to apply for a financial assistance program, you may be required to provide personal information such as pay stubs, tax returns, and other financial details.
- Negotiate Your Bill
If you can demonstrate that the bill was inflated unreasonably – for example, if you were charged $30 for a Tylenol — you may be able to negotiate a reduction.
Often, the negotiation process requires an advocate who can provide help with high medical bills. The larger the bill, the more you might require medical bill assistance from someone who speaks the language of the insurance companies and medical providers. Rather than get caught in the complex maze of the medical billing process, an advocate will know exactly who has negotiating power and the authority to make decisions.
- Get Medical Bill Help from an Advocate
If you need medical bill help, having an experienced medical bill dispute advocate on your side might be a worthwhile investment. Unless you have knowledge of medical coding and billing, it can be very difficult to fight a medical bill. An advocate is someone who has a background in these areas and can help save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. They know what questions to ask and how to effectively negotiate the maximum amount of savings possible.
How Systemedic Can Help Dispute Your High Medical Bill
Disputing a high medical bill can be a complex process. Depending on the type of treatment you received, your medical bill may be extensive. Systemedic has been providing help with medical bills for over 30 years and knows what it takes to dispute even the most complicated medical bills quickly and effectively.
Offering a fee-based service for those looking to dispute their medical bills, our medical bill dispute advocates are skilled in navigating the insurance maze and will not take “no” for an answer. To get started with resolving your medical bill dispute, contact us for a consultation.
As many as 80% of medical bills
can contain errors….will yours???
Don’t pay the price for not knowing what
to question or …how to negotiate savings.
Stop making costly assumptions that
could …ruin your credit.
Get Systemedic on your side so you don’t
pay a penny more …than you should.