For most customers, paying medical bills out of pocket is out of the question. According to an analysis by researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation and Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, 1 in 3 families struggle to pay their medical bills. Even some people with insurance struggle and people with both high and low incomes can be overwhelmed by mounting medical bills.
Having medical debt can be stressful and be crippling in the long-run.
Here are some steps one can take to aid in dealing with medical debt.
· Be sure to follow up with your doctor and or hospital before treatment to determine what the expenses will be and how much any insurance you have will cover. It’s important that you let your healthcare professional know if you are strapped for cash and cannot pay the bill ahead of time. This will help you plan ahead to pay for bills that you may not otherwise be able to cover. Patients of all types can often qualify for programs that will help pay for medical costs.
· Ask your doctor about the prices of Medicare to see if you can get a cheaper price than the individual offer price. More often than not, Medicare can save you a lot of money.
· Always double check your bills. As of 2010 a Commonwealth Fund study found that nearly 9 million people were contacted by a debt collection agency because of billing mistakes.
· Be sure to save the “Explanation of Benefits” from your insurance company as it is often the most reliable way to know how much money you will owe.
· When you receive the bill from your hospital or doctor, make sure that the insurance company’s payments are included. There can sometimes be a problem between your insurer and the doctor and there just has yet to be a payment from the insurance company.
· Always double check what plan you bought for your insurance. If you have purchased a silver plan, you may qualify for cost-sharing subsidies which may aid in bringing down the out of pocket costs.
· Credit cards can be dangerous when paying for medical debt. Interest rates can be particularly high and can be difficult to pay off, so be careful when paying with them!
· It is always incredibly helpful to have a close friend or family member to help you with finances if need be. Sometimes it can take a lot of research to know what is what, and you may be too sick to do it for yourself.
· There are many resources that can offer you help and or information such as the consumer affairs office or office of the attorney general. Nonprofit counseling services are in abundance and may be able to help with legal services.