Never pay a medical bill without asking/calling

[disneysteve]

Just one more example of why you should never blindly pay a medical bill without double checking. My wife went to an opthalmologist recently. We have decent insurance. She wasn't charged her copay at the time of the visit so I figured we'd get a bill for it. Sure enough, we get a bill the other day but instead of being for $30, it is for $105.00. I didn't know why any aspect of the visit wouldn't have been covered by insurance, so I called. The biller said to just ignore the $75 charge and only pay the $30. The other charge wasn't correct. Great. Now what if I had just gone ahead and paid the full bill without asking questions? Would they have refunded me the $75? Who knows.

[jeffrey]

It's an important habit to get into with all bills you receive. It's amazing the number of mistakes that they contain with the majority not in your favor. Make it a habit and you will save yourself a lot of money each year, not to mention your lifetime.

[moneybags]

Never pay a medical bill without asking/calling

I think you meant to say double check your bills, always call if there is a charge you don't understand. I don't think you'd want all your patients calling everytime they got a bill


My MIL was notorious for paying bills without question. I took over her bill paying near the end of her life, and I found a few things that should have been questioned. I know my mom does the same thing.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by moneybags

I think you meant to say double check your bills, always call if there is a charge you don't understand. I don't think you'd want all your patients calling everytime they got a bill

True. Make sure the bill is correct and that you understand what it is for before paying it.

[southerndoc]

It's also wise to call when you have a large bill. Many hospitals and physician groups will offer large discounts if you pay a large bill in full. My father recently had an emergent cholecystectomy (gallbladder surgery) while visiting me last year. He has a high deductible insurance plan, and when they billed him for his deductible and co-insurance requirements, he managed to score a 35% reduction in the bill by simply paying everything at once.