Medical bills. They can be confusing and stressful. But with basic knowledge and organization, you can handle them. And you may be able to avoid overpaying for your health care.
After receiving a health care service, you receive:
- A bill or Medical Billing Services from your provider. If you do not have health insurance, this is the amount you pay. If you are insured, you will probably pay less than the amount the provider billed you for.
- An explanation of benefits (EOB) from your insurance company. This insurance statement indicates the amount of the medical bill that you have to pay.
This may seem straightforward. But when you get a medical bill, then an insurance statement, and then a revised bill based on the statement or a payment you’ve already made, things can get confusing.
Get organized
Follow these simple steps to keep your medical bills in order. You can organize paper or electronic accounts and statements on a computer.
- Keep a calendar of your medical appointments. Check off each appointment, including the provider and the care you received. Also record the dates of when you paid for prescription drugs.
- Organize your medical bills by date of service. If you have bills for more than one family member, keep a separate file for each one.
- Match medical bills with statements from the insurance company. Sometimes an insurance statement will include information from more than one medical bill. Keep those papers together. If you can, make a copy of the statement and attach it to each of the accounts you mention. Include any current pay stubs and statements on those bills.
- Prepare a list or worksheet, whatever works for you. At the top, name the columns that best fit your health insurance. Include these types of headings:
- Date, type of service and provider
- Invoiced amount
- Allowable amount (see insurance statement)
- Amount paid by insurance (see insurance statement)
- Amount I pay (see insurance statement)
- My payment / payment date
- Amount I still owe
- Amount I have paid as part of my deductible (see insurance statements or website)
- Notes
Update your list or worksheet with each insurance bill and statement you receive and with each payment you make.
Don’t be surprised if you receive multiple bills for the same care. For example, for surgery in a hospital, you may receive bills from the surgeon, the anesthetist, and the hospital. Or for an X-ray, you will receive bills from the imaging facility and the radiologist who interprets the image.
Compare your medical bill and insurance statement
Read the medical bill and insurance statement carefully. Make sure that:
- The date, the provider and the type of medical care are correct in both.
- You understand how much of the bill you have to pay. This is the amount that your insurance company says you owe.
If you have questions about any part of an account, call your provider’s billing office. And if you have questions about what’s on the insurance statement, call your insurance company.
Correct mistakes
Billing errors can occur. Before paying anything, be sure to read you’re billing documents carefully. Read your health insurance policy.
- If you think you’ve found an error, call your provider’s billing office or your insurance company. Ask to review the statement over the phone.
- If your insurer doesn’t cover a service your policy says it should cover, file an appeal. Ask the insurer about the appeals process. For information about health insurance appeals.
If you have trouble paying
Not paying a medical bill can ruin your credit worthiness. Talk to your provider’s medical billing office. This is key to preventing your account from going to a collection company.
- If you find that you have missed a date to pay a bill, call the billing office immediately. Pay by phone if you can.
- If you cannot pay the full amount of the invoice, ask to arrange a payment plan. Many vendors agree to this request without a problem, as long as you stay in touch and agree to make small payments on a regular basis.