Mangum said that "it's not infrequent for something to be double-billed." Even if you've already been discharged and gotten behind on payments, it is worth checking to make sure you weren't overcharged.Ĭonsumer advocates said people mistakenly think medical costs are fixed and nonnegotiable. For patients with complaints, he recommended filing an online complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. For patients seeking more information about the No Surprises Act and what it covers, Rukavina recommended calling the government's No Surprises Help Desk at 80. Rukavina noted that if you are not insured or not using your insurance and asked for an estimate in advance, you can dispute bills that exceed the estimates by $400. If it wasn't disclosed to you in advance, that charge may be worth appealing. Make sure all your providers - including an anesthesiologist, for example - are in-network for your insurance. It also limits what providers can bill for out-of-network doctors, Rukavina said, and gives patients greater ability to dispute charges. That law bans "surprise" billing for most emergency care, as well as for some routine care with out-of-network providers. She said self-advocacy begins with pressing for answers about how much each service, treatment, and medication will cost - in advance, if possible.Ĭonsumer protections in the No Surprises Act should help limit out-of-network charges. Mangum said she realized too late that she could've taken her own Tylenol, instead of paying "exorbitant" markups on the same medicine at the hospital. Scrutinizing your care can help you avoid costs. And never assume that just because insurance covers one part of your treatment, that goes for everything else. Ask a family member or a support group to help you keep track, she said. Keep an eye on costs as they come up, said Louisville cancer patient Lori Mangum, who is now chief operating officer of Gilda's Club Kentuckiana, a cancer support group she relied on. During Treatment or Soon AfterĪsk for line items of the costs for every service, prescription, or treatment you receive Also ask your medical providers if they know of other charitable programs that would cover costs for things like rides to medical appointments. citizen or legal resident, check whether your state bars the hospital from considering immigration status, as is the case in New Mexico and Maryland.Ĭheck for other forms of financial assistanceĪmbulance services, which can lead to huge bills, might offer charity care programs, so ask whether you qualify. If you've already qualified for government benefits like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, that may streamline applying for a hospital's financial aid. "One of the most common refrains I heard from experts: Persistence pays," Walker said. For example, Walker said, health care providers often require documentation to be faxed. Do not expect this to be an easy process. Gather up documents such as pay stubs or income tax returns. His group developed a database of hospital charity care policies and has an online tool that allows patients to check their eligibility.Įven if you're not sure whether you qualify, it's worth trying. People who are employed often still qualify for a discount, if not for free care, said Jared Walker, founder of Dollar For, a nonprofit group that helps patients secure charity care. (Three times the federal poverty level for a household of four in 2022 would be $83,250.) Rukavina noted that the federal No Surprises Act, which took effect in January, requires providers to give uninsured patients "good faith" estimates of what planned care will cost.įind out whether you're eligible for financial assistance - and come prepared to make your caseĪlmost every hospital offers some form of financial assistance, or "charity care." Each hospital sets its own eligibility requirements but typically will waive or discount bills for patients earning less than two to three times the federal poverty level. If you're uninsured, ask for a cost estimate in advance. "Are my authorizations in place? What are my copays going to be? Find all that out beforehand, if you can," she said.Īdditionally, said Mark Rukavina, a program director at health equity advocacy group Community Catalyst, if the drug you want isn't covered by your insurance, ask whether the drugmaker has a patient assistance program many do, though eligibility requirements vary. Ask lots of questions of your insurance provider, doctor's office, or hospital, especially for planned procedures, said Joy Dockter, a lawyer at Central California Legal Services, a public interest law firm. Check whether the specifics of your care are coveredĪfter your doctors map out your treatment plan, check whether all the providers you need to see are in-network and whether any part of the treatment needs to be preauthorized.
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