Large Medical Bills Summary
- It is important to know what is covered by your insurance plan and which physicians or locations are in network.
- If something on the bill seems unclear, ask for clarification from the clinic/hospital.
- Mistakes can be made when entering information manually; check to make sure you were not charged for services you did not receive.
- Charges may be negotiable; inquire about discounts that could apply or reductions of charges available.
- Interest-free payment options are usually offered at larger institutions as an alternative to taking out a loan or using a credit card with high interest rates.
Full Text
Have you ever received a shocking medical bill, one where you thought this can’t be right? Most of us have had that experience at some point.
It’s important to remember a few things concerning large medical bills. First, it’s important to know what things are covered on your insurance plan and what aren’t a clinic or hospital should be able to run an eligibility check to be sure that your insurance covers the treatment that you need.
Also be sure to pay attention to networks. One physician or location may be covered well while another may not be covered at all. Second, if something’s unclear on your bill, ask about it, the clinic or hospital ought to be able to answer some questions for you and give details about the charges.
Also keep in mind that many times these charges are entered manually and people make mistakes. If the wrong code is entered, you could be charged for services that you didn’t even receive.
Thirdly, keep in mind that many times the charges are negotiable. If something seems unusually expensive, it may be worth seeing if there’s any discount that can be applied or reductions made to the charges.
Also keep in mind that with larger institutions, there are usually interest free payment options available, that is, don’t take out a loan or put large medical bills on a credit card with high interest. No one wants to get a big bill, but there are some ways to avoid it and certainly ways to make it more tolerable.
I’m Dr. David Long, and that was the long story short.
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