Hospital bills are one of the leading reasons people declare bankruptcy.
But there are things it’s possible for you to do to protect yourself from medical debt.
And Donovans problems werent limited to a $250 overbilling; she found numerous errors on her medical bills.
We always estimate that half the medical bills out there have mistakes in them.
And these mistakes can be costly.
Last November, he went to a motorcycle rally with some friends near Julian, California.
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The area is remote and full of off-road motorcycle trails.
I didnt want a $50,000 flight bill.
The paramedics arrived and transported him to a trauma facility roughly two hours away and Bendall had X-rays done.
Two days later, he was headed home on crutches with instructions for rehab.
Then he got the bills.
And I have good insurance!
So far, he says his insurance has been billed more than $86,000 for his care.
They want me to pay around $7,100.
We simply cant afford that.
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They want me to pay around $7,100.
We simply cant afford that.
In situations like this, Donovan recommends a number of actions that consumers can take.
Use your EOB, or Explanation of Benefits, paperwork like a weapon on your own behalf.
check that that what happened matches what comes in the mail, she says.
(There are currently25 statesthat have laws that protect consumers against this practice.)
Its Amazing How Its All Connected.
Many hospitals have financial assistance programs, but often they wont tell you unless you ask.
it’s possible for you to also ask to set up a payment schedule, she says.
Hospitals want to get paid, so if youre willing to pay them, they will work with you.
There are many programs that are set up specifically to help patients in financial difficulties.
He went to the emergency room for treatment, even though he didnt have insurance coverage.
I refused the shots, as well as any medication, Jarrett says.
The total of all three was around $3,500.
He is sure of this because the person who oversaw his care was a nurse practitioner.
Calls and emails went unanswered and he was repeatedly given the wrong contact information.
He ultimately turned to the Patient Advocate Foundation, which told him to push for an itemized bill.
He did, but the medical facility repeatedly refused to send him one.
Donovan says Jarrett was right to ask for an itemized bill.
You cant review the bill if you dont have all the information, she says.
And reviewing the fees is important.
I used hospital-affiliated midwives because you could use midwives for an uncomplicated birth, and it lowers your costs.
It was a prime example of high-cost low-value care, she says.
And my doctor confirmed that there was no reason for [extra ultrasounds].
As a result, she canceled the appointments.
So, Donovan called her insurance to confirm that she should pay.
Her insurance (erroneously) told her she should, and she sent the check that day.
Two weeks later, she got another bill: $287 for the physician.
The insurer was not paying attention and gave me bad advice.
I shouldnt even have paid the $250 on the first bill, she says.
Most people would never have known they paid a bill they werent responsible for.
In fact, errors on medical bills routinely cost patients lots of money.
She says that by catching the errors, she saved more than $650.
She found that about half of the bills she got over the duration of her pregnancy were incorrect.
She says that by catching the errors, she saved more than $650.
I dont think that there are many people out there trying to charge people more, Donovan said.
Most of the time the medical billing gets messed up because its complicated.
see to it you know which physicians are in your insurances connection.
She may be able to help, and your costs will be lower than a visit to a specialist.
Review your bills, and when you see something wrong, speak up and stick to your guns.
Finally, if you need help, ask for it.
There are for-profit and nonprofit organizations that offer assistance in negotiating and managing medical bills.
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