Unable to Pay Medical Bills |
By Charles Park on August 4, 2010
.jpg.aspx?width=75&height=75) Recently with health care reform dominating the media, few agreements can be found between the opposing factions but most acknowledge that health care costs and health insurance premiums are high and are continuing to rise. In these given conditions, many are unable to afford the health insurance coverage and are unable to pay medical bills should a need to seek immediate treatment occur.
If this situation applies to you, here are a couple of options before seeking an alternative route of payment.
- Review the medical bills for errors. Make sure that the bills correspond to the services that have been received. If any questions arise, contact the bill issuer before paying.
- Give your hospital or health care provider a call and be honest about your situation. Consider talking directly to your doctor or seeking the billing manager. The last thing you want happening is for your bill to be handled by a collection agency. This will damage your credit.
- Negotiating with your hospital or health care provider is another option. Hospitals stand to lose more if you find yourself entering deeper financial trouble. According to a New York Times article, hospitals have “lost $34 billion in 2007 on uncompensated care, up 55 percent from 2002.” If you do not have health insurance, you might consider hiring a billing specialist. Those without health insurance are bereft of a key negotiator who understands the billing process, necessary terminology, and policies. Once an agreement is reached, be sure to request for a written confirmation of the payment plan details.
- In many hospitals, charity care programs that provide cost assistance are available. Eligibility for assistance is variable such as restrictions to those without insurance or those in a particular income bracket.
- Consider applying to a state provided health insurance such as Medicaid. Services are restricted to those who qualify. Qualification requirements can be found on the state Medicaid program website.
Source:
Alderman, Lesley. “Bargaining Down the Medical Bills.” New York Times 13 Mar. 2009
Related Article: 3 Ways to Make Paying Off Medical Debt Easier
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