Medical Bill Help
After a recent stay in the hospital following an emergency or planned procedure there is usually something in common. The cost of the visit is expensive, and getting more expensive. While recent progress with the health care reform has shown promise for changes to the system, it is putting a toll on things now. Health care costs are high, and so are health insurance premiums. Furthermore, these costs continue to rise. With that, people are having more problems when trying to pay their medical bills and afford health insurance.
If you are having trouble paying your medical bills, there are a few options you should consider before seeking any alternative routes of payment. First, you should always review the medical bills carefully for any errors. Often times, mistakes are made and those mistakes are costly. Saving a few hundred dollars due to finding an error could be a significant help.
You could also try notifying the health care provider or hospital of your financial situation. It is much better for the billing issues to be handled with these people, instead of having your account go into collections. You might want to talk directly with the billing manager or your doctor to expedite the process.
You can also try to negotiate your bill with your health care provider or hospital. Often times, they would rather negotiate and have you pay a portion of your bill, than lose the entire amount. Just be sure to request a written statement detailing the payment plan.
There are also some charity programs that offer financial assistance to people who can’t pay their medical bills so be sure to check into those as well.