Originally published September 28 2005
Scrutinizing hospital bill may save money
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Hospital bills can be confusing, and in order to avoid being overcharged, ask for an itemized bill and review it carefully to make sure you have been charged for the correct length of stay, room and operating room time, and keep an eye out for double charges, overpriced extras and problems with your insurance deductible.
Dear Savvy Senior | I could use some help deciphering a hospital bill from my wife's recent hip-replacement surgery.
Dear Don | For most Americans, reading their hospital bill is like reading Chinese.
With all the medical jargon and code words, these bills can be extremely difficult to understand, which leads to an even bigger problem: overcharging.
Studies have shown that hospital billing errors cause patients to be overcharged an average of $1,300 per stay.
Note that most insurance companies do not allow hospitals to charge for your discharge day, although many hospitals frequently do so anyway.
Watch for double billing: being charged for the same service twice.
This is the most common mistake hospitals make.
Were you charged $10 for a pill that would have cost you $1 to buy yourself?
It's not uncommon for hospitals to bill for more time than you used.
Compare the charge with your anesthesiologist's records.
If you find errors or have questions about your bill, talk with your doctor or contact the hospital's billing office or patient representative.
If the bill already has been sent to the insurer, call your insurance agent.
If you need extra help with your confusing medical bills or rejected insurance claims, consider contacting a medical-billing advocate.
Medical-billing advocates typically charge $30 to $150 per hour or might take commission on the savings they produce.
Patient Advocate Foundation: a national nonprofit organization that assists anyone with chronic or life-threatening diseases - for free - by providing help with health-insurance problems.
It offers a Patient Assistance Program that provides co-payment assistance to those who are insured and who meet financial and medical qualifications.
State Health Insurance Assistance Program: Offers free health insurance counseling to people with Medicare and their families.
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