Dear Judy,
I am planning to have surgery next month. I have heard so many horror tales from friends about unreasonable or incorrect hospital bills, that I am concerned. Do you have any words of wisdom for me?
Wary, not rich
Dear Wary,
This issue must be on everyone’s minds, because I too hear it all the time. No matter how fine the hospital may be, there can always be billing errors or slipups. Here are my suggestions to you.
1. Be sure to ask for an itemized bill. Often various expenses will be lumped together under headings such as laboratory fees or pharmacy. Bills such as these make it difficult to catch errors.
2. Check the bill over carefully to see if there is something wrong. For example, sometimes a person is moved from one type of room to another and no change is recorded on the bill.
3. Make sure you understand your doctor’s billing policies.
4. If you find what you feel is an error, contact the billing department and ask for an explanation. If you do not get satisfaction there, contact the administrator directly.
5. Keep a record of the various tests, medications, procedures and services you receive after you are admitted. Some people get billed for things they never had.
6. If you find all this too complicated for you to unravel, you can hire a person from a claims management company. This would only be necessary if you find a large discrepancy.
We have to be our own advocate these days, speaking up when necessary. Now that you have a better idea of what to look for, I hope you can put all this out of your mind and use your energy to get well soon.
Warmly,
Judy