Billing mistakes could be the result of human error or even fraud, and knowing how to decipher a medical statement can be a money-saving skill. Before paying any medical bill, ask yourself the following questions:
A single stay in the hospital can result in a bewildering array of bills covering a number of services and providers. Some statements may provide scant details to justify charges while others could include descriptions or codes that make little sense to the average person.
“There’s a lot of mistaken billing out there,” says Tom West, creator of Lifecare Affordability Plan, which helps families make decisions regarding long-term health care.
Billing mistakes could be the result of human error or even fraud, and knowing how to decipher a medical statement can be a money-saving skill. Before paying any medical bill, ask yourself the following questions:
— Do I need an itemized bill?
— Do I recognize all the charges?
— Are the dates and providers correct?
— How old is the bill?
— Are there red flags indicating this is a medical billing scam?
— Has my insurance been billed properly?
— Did I get billed for an out-of-network provider?
— Can I negotiate the balance?
[Read: How to Negotiate Your Medical Bills.]
Do I Need an Itemized Bill?
Some providers send bills that include the total due and little else. That is for good reason, according to one industry expert.
“The descriptions of services…
