Have you ever been shocked at how expensive one of your medical bills was? Did you get upset for a few minutes and then go ahead and dutifully pay it, believing that the bill had to be correct and that there was nothing you could do? If so, you may have made a huge mistake. Medical billing is quite complex and trusting the accuracy of medical staff members and a business office can be a costly error.
Medical bills often contain mistakes, and if you find them and convince the provider they are errors, you may be able to get them removed from your bill.
The first step is to ask the biller for an itemized bill. Medical bills sent to patients are often basic lists of costs without detailed explanations. You need to know each service or product you are being charged for and why.
If you find anything that seems to be an error, contact the company who sent the bill and explain why you don’t think you should have to pay for the incorrect charge.
If you’re not comfortable doing this yourself or find the bill difficult to understand, consider seeking assistance from a claims assistance professional, healthcare advocate, or medical billing advocate. These experts can review your insurance documents and medical bills for errors and contact the companies to dispute items, negotiate overcharges, reduce unreasonable prices, or file an appeal for you. Since many of these experts are only paid if they find mistakes and save you money, there’s little risk to you.
For More Information
Alliance of Claims Assistance Professionals
Medical Billing Advocates of America
Mebex
