The last thing that people want to happen is to undergo a painful medical procedure with equally depressing hospital expenses. The U.S. News says that at least a quarter of adults in the country say they or one member of their family have had challenges managing medical expenses during 2019. And about half of the respondents in the study noted that medical costs heavily affected their families. With many people getting sick during the pandemic, the growing concerns about paying medical bills will likely remain until the end of the year.
Most people feel ashamed about their existing medical debt, seeing it as their failure when they can’t pay them entirely. But what if you’ve accumulated so much debt that there’s no way of paying it once it’s overdue? People may do without some of the medical attention they need, including treatments and even doctor appointments. They may even find it challenging to cover some of their expenses and affect their savings, too. But what do you need to do when this happens?
Check for billing errors
Anywhere from 7% to 90% of medical bills have errors. That’s why you need to ensure that you get them thoroughly check before you pay them. One way to do it is by looking for any duplicate charges. You also need to check for any services that you didn’t receive or recognize. It’s also best to check the medical billing section for charges that your insurance provider should’ve covered.
Negotiate medical bills
Consider calling the hospital debt collector or their billing office and see if you can negotiate your existing bills. You can also check if you have any payment options that you can take advantage of to manage your debt. Speak with them and explain your situation and see if you can ask for a payment leeway.
Another way to reduce your debt is by asking if it’s possible to pay the insurance rate if your insurance provider didn’t cover your procedure. It’s also essential that you take down notes of all the information you can gather when speaking with a debt collection representative. Treat them with respect as they’re more likely to cooperate with you if you treat them politely.
Get external help
There are only a few people who know a lot about medical billing. So, it’s a wise choice to ask help from them, especially when it comes to dealing with your medical debt. A few of the people you can consider to help you with your needs are a medical caseworker or a medical billing advocate. You can also ask for help from a debt negotiator to discuss your financial matters with the hospital.
There’s nothing to feel ashamed of if you can’t pay your medical debt in time. If you ever encounter any problems beyond your control, you need to make sure that you check your bills to see if they’re accurate. See if you can negotiate for a lower charge and seek outside help if necessary.
