What Should I Do If I Receive a Wrong Medical Bill?

admin — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:22:35 +0000

My wife and I have three children under the age of four, which means our mailbox is flooded with medical bills and sometimes, wrong medical bills. Obviously, the last thing you want to do is pay these bills, and, at the same time, if you don’t, your credit score will be severely impacted.

Here are some things I learned about dealing with wrong medical bills:

1. Call the provider and politely state that you do not recall the services. Perhaps you simply forgot about the doctor’s appointment. Or it may be an honest billing mistake. Give the provider time to verify the charges.

2. If the provider fails to verify the charges, challenge the charges in writing. Politely but firmly state that you do not believe you ever incurred the charges and note that the provider failed to verify the charges when you gave it an opportunity. Send the letter by certified mail and keep a copy for your records.

3. If this fails, you have a decision to make. You can pay the “wrong medical bill to preserve your credit score, and then investigate whether to bring a small claims action for return of the money. Or you can wait for the charge to appear on your credit report, and then use the credit-reporting agency’s method for dispute resolution. The agency will require the provider to prove the charges. If it cannot, the information will be removed from your report. However, if the charges are proved to the credit agency’s satisfaction, the negative information will remain on your report for up to seven years.

The moral is this: don’t ignore these wrong medical bills, even if you don’t remember getting those services.

Saving Money Tip – Urgent Care Clinics

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:00:30 +0000

Want an easy saving money tip on Urgent Care Clinics? Many think they are being frugal by visiting your friendly neighborhood clinic instead of the hospital. What you might not know is that the clinic is owned by the hospital, and therefore bills like a hospital.

This article in the Wall Street Journal noted that about 29 percent of urgent care clinics are owned or co-owned by hospitals, which makes them a lot pricier than their independently-owned counterparts.

In fact, a visit to a hospital-owned urgent care clinic might cost you three times as much as a visit to a clinic owned by an independent doctor or group of doctors.

What should you do? Price it out, just like you would any other purchase.

Anytime you make a doctor’s appointment, ask whether the clinic is owned by or associated with a hospital. Then ask what you can expect to pay for a visit. Call a few clinics and ask the same question. You should also call your insurance company to find out how much of the bill will be covered by insurance.

Most of us don’t think about shopping around to find the best healthcare, but this we should, especially in today’s economy. Taking this tip, and all our saving money tips will get you closer to the life you want.

Personal Growth Blog for Philip Tirone - Credit Scoring Expert and Champion for the Underdog » Medical Debt

What Should I Do If I Receive a Wrong Medical Bill?

Saving Money Tip – Urgent Care Clinics