What to do when you get an unexpected medical bill? Receiving an unexpected medical bill can often be a scary thing. How are you going to pay for it? What if you are sued? Every day, people across the country are faced with difficult financial situations caused by medical debt. Whether it’s due to the costs of sudden medical emergencies, rising costs of ongoing care, insurance deductibles and copays, or even expensive dental bills, there are many factors that can lead to overwhelming and unaffordable debt.
The first thing to do is to verify that the bill is correct. Call your insurance carrier using the customer service number on the back of your ID card and verify that the provider has submitted the right information to the insurance company. Sometimes this can be as easy as fixing a birthdate or Member number.
If that information is correct, the next step is to verify the codes submitted to your insurance by calling your provider (doctor, hospital, lab, etc.). Ensure your insurance carrier has the correct codes, and if so, that those codes are, in fact, covered under your policy.
We always recommend requesting an itemized bill from your provider to ensure you, indeed, have received all the services/medications you have been billed for. If there are incorrect charges, call your provider and request they make the corrections with the insurance company so that they can re-process the claim.
If you have tried the above and are still having issues with a medical bill, it may be time to contact our law firm for legal assistance. We understand that dealing with large medical and insurance corporations can be difficult and frustrating!