When you think about negotiating the amount you will pay, buying a car or even a house may come to mind. The good news is that negotiating a medical bill can be less stressful and more straightforward than those other purchases when you know how to approach it.
When you are expecting a big medical bill, you may have obtained a price estimate, which you can compare against the bill. If you’re uninsured or you’re not using health insurance for a particular service, you have a right to receive a good-faith estimate, which includes the right to dispute a bill that exceeds the estimate, in certain circumstances. Once the bill arrives, here are steps you can take that may help reduce it.
Check your bill for errors. If you didn’t receive an itemized bill that lists the price of each item separately, ask for one. In addition to checking the bill for errors, check it against the explanation of benefits from your health insurance plan. The amounts you owe should match. If you find an error, call your hospital’s patient financial services department or your doctor or other provider’s office and say that you have a question about your bill.
Consider asking about financial assistance. You may be eligible for free or discounted care, even if you have health insurance. You can find information about a hospital’s policies by searching “financial assistance” on the hospital’s website.
Consider a payment plan. Many hospitals offer payment plans or medical credit cards. There are important differences among these options. Be sure you understand the interest charges, payment periods and other details of these payment arrangements before you accept one.
Keep the hospital in the loop about insurance disputes. If you are disputing a claim with your health insurance plan, ask the hospital’s patient financial services department or the doctor or other provider’s office staff to put the bill on hold, explaining that you will need time to pursue this with your health plan. This gives you time to resolve the issue without the risk of having the bill turned over to a collection agency, and the hospital may be able to help you resolve the issue.