What to Do When You Get a Medical Bill You Can't Afford
Medical emergencies can happen anytime and anywhere without prior warnings. But a trip to the emergency room or an unexpected illness can directly cater to financial disasters if you do not have proper health insurance or if the coverage you receive is low.
As per the stats, in the U.S. alone, the treatment cost of a single illness, accident, or even pregnancy can cost you a hospital bill of five digits. This means half of the Americans are ineligible to properly pay their medical bills because of average income even if they have insurance claims thanks to the high deductibles and copays of employer-sponsored plans.
The overall dilemma caused due to large medical bills is enough to make an individual get stressed or even fall sick, thus, spending extra dollars on getting treated again. It is important to note that you have to pay your medical bills no matter what the situation comes, and there are many ways you can get help with large medical bills.
Here are a few strategies you can use to deal with it.
1. Check If The Bills Are Accurate And Error-Free:
Various sources have claimed that anywhere from 7% to 90% of the medical bills contain errors. Your bill might also contain amounts for treatments or services you did not receive. Also, many hospitals tend to provide a medical bill that only includes the summary with no details about the charges.
So be sure to request an itemized statement of your bill to get the precise details and bifurcation of the charges. Go through the bill thoroughly and make sure to highlight the expenses that aren't legit.
Look for duplicate items, services you did not receive, or recognize. Later, contact your insurance company or the hospital to clarify anything you don't understand.
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