When it comes to being in debt, there are certain bills we can’t avoid. Medical bills, for example, can often accrue, through either routine procedures or life saving measures. In fact, medical bills are so frequent that they rank second among reasons for filing for bankruptcy.
 
Now, you may be certain that this type of debt will never be a significant part of your life. After all, you have health insurance and that surely covers everything, right? Well, not exactly.
 
If you have health insurance, even good health insurance, you may still be forced to pay co-insurance, or twenty percent of your bill out of pocket. This is often in addition to co-pays and a hefty deductible: most insurance companies won’t pay a penny until your deductible is met.
 
All of these factors make up a simple fact: a single error on your medical bill could cost you thousands of dollars.  In order to avoid these kinds of costs, you must be instrumental in doing the following:

Ask Questions: People, even those in hospitals, all make mistakes. If there appears to be something wrong with your bill, or if something seems just a little off, ask questions and demand answers. A hospital isn’t going to spend time making sure you weren’t overcharged: it’s up to you to make sure things are correct.

Request an Itemized Bill: An itemized bill is one of your best bets in making sure you were charged for what you were given. If you only had one MRI, you certainly don’t want to be charged for two. By requesting an itemized bill, you can see exactly what price you paid for each procedure.

Make Sure Your Insurance is Holding Their End of the Bargain: It’s no secret, health insurance companies are sometimes known for denying claims they should be paying. If you are paying out of pocket for something you are certain is covered by your policy, appeal the claim. Sometimes insurance companies deny claims simply on the premise that nobody will notice.
 
But, a denied claim isn’t always the insurance company’s fault. Sometimes a typo or an improperly coded procedure is to blame. The bottom line is if you think your insurance company should be paying for something, call them and find out why they aren’t.

Speak the Code: One problem that lies with determining the accuracy of your medical bill is that medical facilities speak in code, literally. Even if you receive an itemized list, it might be filled with billing codes you don’t understand. This puts you at a great disadvantage: a single coding error, such as a transposed number, can result in thousands of extra dollars.
 
Instead of trying to decipher all this code on your own, ask the hospital for a key or code list. If you still aren’t satisfied, hire someone well versed in making sure hospital bills are accurate.

Expect Mistakes: Hospital bills are famous for being erroneous. In order to find these mistakes, you must request three documents (all of which you should legally receive). These include an itemized bill, your medical chart, and your pharmacy ledger. Compare the three of these documents and look for discrepancies.
 
Go over all documentation with a fine tooth comb and make sure you were charged for the correct number of days, the right supplies and medications, and the right room. Also keep an eye out for up-coding (when a hospital increases the price of a lower service), canceled or altered procedures, and personal products. A toothbrush, for instance, is part of your room fee and shouldn’t be included as an additional cost.

Don’t Pay For the Mistakes of Others: On occasion, you might go in for a procedure, only to find out later that the wrong procedure was done.  If something like this occurs, make sure that the cost does not fall on you. You shouldn’t have to pay for another person’s mistake.

When in Doubt, Call for Backup: If straightening your medical bills out on your own, or merely getting someone to listen, seems impossible, call in a professional. The Medical Billing Advocates of America and the National Health-care Anti-Fraud Association are two companies that can help you.

Medical bills are an inevitable part of life and, unfortunately, medical bill mistakes are inevitable as well. Taking proactive measures, asking questions, and learning as much as possible about your bill are ways to protect yourself from paying more than you should. No one cares about your finances as much as you do: it’s in your hands to make sure you’re being charged fairly.