• 18
  • February
    2011

If you are are teetering on the edge of financial security, any unexpected expense, no matter how minor, is often enough to push you right over the edge. Often these expenses come in the form of medical emergencies and the resulting medical debt. Anyone who has received a bill for a doctor visit or hospital stay knows that these are often complicated, daunting documents, so most people simply assume the bill is correct. However, it may pay to take a second look at the bill to ensure that you are not being overcharged.

The first step is to ensure that your personal data, such as name, address, and insurance information, is correct on the form. If any of those is wrong, the amount of health care plan coverage deducted is likely incorrect as well. Second, look at the dates and times of your hospital stay. In general, hospitals should not charge you for your discharge day, and certain costs such as "oral administration", which entails a nurse handing you pills, should be included in room and board.

Third, examine charges for medical procedures, tests, lab work and medications. Because some operating room charges can be as high as $300 for every minute you were in the room, it may be worth it to call your anesthesiologist and ask when the operation began and ended, down to the minute. In addition, ensure there are not any typographical errors on your bill, such as a charge for 22 blood tests instead of the two you had.

While this detailed inspection may seem like a waste of time, it could significantly decrease your overall health care cost, depending on your insurance policy. Some insurers will reward you for discovering an error, so it is important to keep records of all of your legwork. Make notes of the date and time of each call you make, as well as the name of the person you talk to and the outcome of the call.

Source: CBS News, "Medical Bill Mistakes", Jody Rohlena, 15 February 2011