Hospital Bills - Need Help Navigating

[MBOhio2]

Hi everyone! I couldn't find a board that felt more appropriate for this topic, so I am just putting it here, but please let me know if there's another board where medical expenses/bills are frequently discussed.

This question isn't specifically about credit, but more about handling a medical bill. I just had a baby a few months ago and was a little surprised by the final out of pocket amount that I'm required to pay. If it's legit, perfectly fine, but I wanted to do my due diligence. I asked the hospital for an itemized bill, just to look it over and make sure nothing crazy jumped out at me. After reviewing, there are 2 charges that I think might be inaccurate.

Any thoughts on how to go about this? First, I would like to find some resource that can give me a sense of whether the charges are legit (one seems outrageously high and the other appears to be a duplicate issue) - another forum, any hospital professionals here? And second, then I would like to know next steps, assuming I find the charges are inaccurate - send a letter outlining my concerns and ask for a response?

Thanks for any advice you can provide!!

[elim]

I just went through this on a smaller scale.  I get a CT scan once or twice a year and don't have med insurance.  I always pay cash ($700) and everything is fine.  I take decent care of myself and am self insured (which i'm about to change).  So last visit I get a bill for the same exact test (same office) for $6500.  hrmmm, I check medical blue book and yes the price has gone up a bit but only a couple hundred. I call the office and they said "nope Obamacare has changed all of our prices drastically".  So I search for their prices on google and found the new price $3100.  Wrote a nice snail mail letter to their billing office with a copy of their price list and got the bill down to $3100. So I would suggest googling to try and find some written price by that hospital for that same procedure code (as well as the duplicates) and mail off a letter asking them to correct the bill.  Can't hurt.

I'm not sure if it's a mistake, cramming, expecting loss, whatever.  But you have to watch these bills.  Now with Obamacare, We have many more mouths to feed in the med industry so i think it can only get worse.

[Callandra]

Obamacare is expensive. When I had private insurance, my rates went up almost a $100 a month. I wound up having to raise my deductible up to $7000 (it was $3500) so my monthly rate would be affordable (since I wasn't making much then). 

I would confirm with the hospital about the duplicate issue and see if they are willing to negotiate the high priced one (or at least let you pay in installments). Good luck. 

[MBOhio2]

Thanks to those that have commented.

I don't think this is an issue of Obamacare. My suspicion here is that one item was just overbilled and one item is in duplicate. If they are incorrect, I of course want them fixed. If they are accurate as-is, then no worries, I'll pay. I just don't want to pay for billing errors. I was hoping there was some way to educate myself about these charges before I call up the hospital (e.g. should this item reall have cost X, is this procedure typically billed as two line items or is this duplicate). I don't want them to have all of the knowledge and for me to just call them blind because then they can tell me whatever they want and I won't know any different.

It sounds like the medical blue book might be a good starting place.

[Anonymous]

Hospitals often have a separate billing department, I've found calling htem up or visiting in person can sometimes be a speedy way to resolve issues or gain more information on what's going on.

Also, if you are low income or otherwise short of funds inquiring about whether they have a financial aid program can also be helpful.