Ah, the hospital bill. Chances are, you’ve had one. From surgeries to emergency room visits, from CT scans to PET scans, the cost of medical care is often found around every bend.
 
Unfortunately, also found around every bend are hospital billing problems. These problems have the potential to turn your physical ailment into a financial one.
 
But, luckily, billing problems are resolvable. It all begins with knowing why they most often happen and what to do when they do.

Don’t Have Obsolete Insurance Information: The insurance card is the patient’s Bible; without it you could be up a creek without health care.
 
The number one cause of medical billing problems are insurance cards: they either contain obsolete information, an outdated policy, or they were left at home in your dresser drawer. Do yourself a favor and insure your insurance: keep it up to date and in your wallet.

Be Careful about Misinterpreting Benefits: Anyone who has ever read an insurance policy handbook knows one thing: insurance is complicated. Complication aside, understanding your policy is essential to knowing what medical procedures are covered, what ones aren’t covered, which ones require pre-authorization, and which ones are only covered after a deductible is met. Your policy can also educate you on things like co-pays and coinsurance.

Make Sure the Doctor is In….your Network: It’s important to visit a health-care provider or health-care facility that accepts the insurance you carry. If your doctor is not in your insurer’s network, you may be forced to pay more out-of-pocket or denied coverage altogether. Don’t only verify with your doctor’s office that they are covered, but verify with your insurance company as well.

Ask Questions: Anyone who has ever found themselves paying a lot for medical care might be a little gun shy: they are afraid their medical procedures won’t be covered by their policy. If this applies to you, don’t be afraid to ask your insurance company questions and make sure something is covered before it is performed.

Don’t Immediately Take no for an Answer: There may be a medical procedure that you know your insurance does not cover. For instance, if you’re a female and 30, your policy might not pay for mammograms until you are 35. But, if you have special circumstance - breast cancer runs rampant in your family or you have had high doses of radiation exposure - don’t take no for an answer without putting up a fight.
 
Get a letter from your doctor that your specific procedure is a medical necessity.  Citing your risk factors, doctors have been known to sway insurance companies into coverage. When it comes down to it, an insurance company would rather pay for a procedure that can prevent a disease than suffer the costs to fight one.

Get Names, Numbers, and in Writing: Whenever you deal with billing problems, you might find yourself tossed around from person to person. Instead of using the ol’ “What’s her name said this” argument, get the names of each person you speak with, their title and their telephone number.  If an insurance company or a hospital assures you of something, don’t take their oral word for it, only take their written one.

READ the EOB: With every medical procedure you have and every doctor you see, your insurance company will send you an EOB, or explanation of benefits. Written across the EOB are the words “this is not a bill.” But, don’t disregard it as being unimportant.
 
Instead, read and study your EOB. It will not only tell you what your hospital is charging you, but it will also tell you what your insurance is paying and what you have to pay. If there is something you don’t agree with or think is inaccurate, call your insurance company right away. Don’t wait until your bill is six months old and five months past due: remedy the situation as quickly as possible.

Don’t Pay your Bill Before You Leave the Hospital: A hospital is not a restaurant: leaving without paying your bill does not constitute a “dine and dash.” Some hospitals may prefer or even insist that you pay your bill before you are discharged, but don’t fall for this. Paying your bill without looking it over closely sets yourself up for being scammed. Before you pay a dime, make sure everything looks fair: if you overpay for an overcharge, you’ll never get your money back.

Finances may be the furthest thing on your mind when you are admitted to a hospital. Yet, alas, medical care isn’t cheap and it certainly isn’t free. But, taking the above proactive measures can help your discharge be met by happy friends and family instead of a hefty medical bill.