Just because you get a medical bill doesnt mean you have to pay it.
You should do the same for your medical bills.
But prior to beginning celebrating, theres a catch: Proving you dont owe will require work.
That doesnt mean it isnt worth the effort, and it could definitely be worth the money.
And those are the peoplewithinsurance.
Contributing to that amount are the people who pay the official-looking bills from providers without question.
And heres the thing, medical billing errors and fraud are extremely prevalent.
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And that vigilance goes for older medical debt, too.
But how can you decipher the jargon and determine if there is an error on your bill?
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you might Get Paid Up to $140/Month Just for Sharing Your Honest Opinion
1.
You should know what your deductible is and whether or not it has been met, she said.
Those are the things you could check on in preparation for this bill.
You want to hold onto that.
The next delivery will be the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from your insurance provider.
you might recognize this letter by the phrase THIS IS NOT A BILL printed in large jot down.
The letter is correct: Its not a bill.
See if its right does it make any sense?
Is this an out-of-web connection provider?
Research and Compare Your Charges
Now its time for some detective work.
Comparing bills starts with understanding what your insurance did or didnt cover, according to McDougald.
Maybe your insurance didnt pay as much as theyre supposed to, she said.
McDougalds advice: Question everything that just doesnt look right to you.
Or you could Google the CPT code and youll probably find a description of the service.
This is when a provider charges for a higher level of service or equipment than was provided.
Unbundling is when a provider tries to charge for the coded procedure as separate services.
They need to explain to you exactly what is in that charge for supplies.
And thats when you say, Well, isnt that part of my surgical procedure?
If you need paperwork, ask for it at that time so you could complete your own review.
Show me proof in my medical records that you used it on me.
Dont let them say, This is just what we do.
Thats not a good enough answer.
First, call your insurance companys anti-fraud department, which can help you dispute charges.
(The phone number should appear on your Explanation of Benefits.)
Tiffany Wendeln Connors is a staff writer/editor at The Penny Hoarder.
Readher bio and other work here, then catch her on Twitter @TiffanyWendeln.
(Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)
You know which ones were talking about: rent, utilities, cell phone bill, insurance, groceries…
