By Lance Hugo
Medical bills are a leading cause in personal bankruptcy, according to Today.com. Even if you have been able to reap some benefits from the Affordable Care Act, the fact remains that the American health care system is expensive and out of whack. Luckily, there are some things you can do to ensure you don’t pay any more than necessary.
Get Your Questions Answered Up Front
Don’t be afraid to ask how much a procedure costs up front. Verify that your doctor, procedure and other medical expenses are covered by your insurance. Ask about insurance coverage every step of the way. Make sure that the lab is a part of your insurance company’s network and testing is covered. Healthcare.gov offers in-depth and unbiased information on what kind of medical insurance is best for your situation, what is covered under which plans and how to find fair pricing.
Get an Itemized Bill
Itemized bills help you keep track of what you’re being charged and what services you’ve received. Read your bills carefully and make sure you understand them. False charges and mistakes happen more often than you may think, and it doesn’t help when you don’t understand your bill. Fox Business News recently reported that 77 percent of people claimed to not understand their medical bills, and the Medical Billing Advocates of America reported that 80 percent of medical bills contain some type of error. The most common errors include duplicate billing, charges for canceled work and an incorrect price or code entry. Use the American Medical Association’s CodeManager to decipher the five-digit codes on your bill, as they are unique to each service.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
If there are errors in your bill, it’s not because the people who take care of billing at the hospital are indifferent or out to get you. They process hundreds or even thousands of bills a week. Having somebody on your side who understands the bills can make all the difference in the world. If you’re having serious problems with a billing issue, enlist the aid of somebody who can make a difference for you. Someone who’s been through the medical billing and coding program at pennfoster.edu, for instance, can be a big help if you are dealing with billing issues.
Medical billing doesn’t have to be a scary thing, and it absolutely should not be something that’s keeping you from getting the care you need. Stay on top of the process from the start and make sure you’re covered on your insurance network. Contest any inconsistencies and you should only have to pay what you actually owe.