Do you cringe when you receive a medical bill in the mail? Like most, you hope for the best but expect the worst.
If you find that your bill is higher than expected, there are a couple of things you can do:
• Pay it in full and move on.
• Contact the billing department to dispute the balance.
It’s important to remember that medical billing departments can and will make mistakes every now and again. In fact, this is more common than most people believe.
There are many reasons why your medical bill could be wrong, including the following:
• Duplicate charges. Review your bill in great detail, keeping a close eye out for duplicate charges for a single service.
• Clerical error. Medical bills can be difficult to read, as conditions are typically coded. While it can take some time to review every code, it could pay off in the long run. If you don’t have the time to do this yourself, there are services that will do the legwork for you.
• Inaccurate information. This could be something as simple as being billed for a service you didn’t use or a hospital stay that didn’t occur. A simple slip-up could cost you hundreds of dollars, so make sure you double-check every bill for accuracy.
In the event that you identify an error, it’s imperative to contact the billing department to discuss the finer details. Hopefully, the first person you speak with will be able to clear the air and make things right.
If you run into any resistance, don’t stop there. You can always ask to speak with a manager. This is never fun, but it may be a step you need to take if you want to have your bill adjusted to the correct amount.
Have you ever received a medical bill with an error? If so, what did you do about it? Share your advice in the comment section below.