Yesterday I received a few big unexpected bills. It was upsetting as I hadn't planned on these expenses. Plus the bills just arrived with no explanation or warning. The first bill was related to a medical procedure I had more than a year ago. I paid for the procedure upfront, and later was billed for more. I contested the bill and was told it was an error. Now a year later, I'm receiving the bill again. The challenge in addition to the additional payment is the time it takes to walk back an unexpected bill like this. First there are the long waits on the phone to talk to a person, then there is the trail of people you talk to until you get the right one, and after that is piecing together all the events that occurred leading up to the new bill to explain the change. Sometimes, I just give up and pay the additional fee since it takes so much time to research the additional charges. That happened during COVID when I received a huge bill for a tele-visit it was a very short virtual visit with my doctor which ended with the advice to see another doctor. The cost was huge for 15 minutes of support that led to the need to see another doctor. Had I known it was going to cost that much, I would have seen the second doctor first and skipped the virtual step. Since then, that's what I've done. The bottom line is that medical billing is often not what you expect and to understand that billing often takes lots of time and creates significant stress--why does it have to be this complicated?
The second unexpected bill was also related to a medical procedure. My doctor suggested that I have a specific meeting with a doctor. I followed the doctor's advice, but once again, didn't consider the financial ramifications. I didn't think it would be that expensive, only to learn that it was very expensive. That bill led me to re-look at our insurance plan and re-think our insurance decisions going forward. I felt some regret that I had not taken these decisions more seriously in the past few years--with good health, I didn't pay much attention to my insurance plan, but now with a couple of small medical concerns, I was awakened to do the research to see if I have the kind of plan and medical support I need.
Why do I share this knowledge on my blog?
First, it's important that we set aside the time to choose well when it comes to our medical insurance. Sadly the information is dense and not easy to navigate. People don't readily help either. When I called to inquire about my insurance, I was met with some nasty individuals--they acted as if they were paying my bills, it was upsetting. I suppose like many everyday workers, the people I talked to are overworked and underpaid thus leaving them to be cranky and unhelpful on the phone, nevertheless their attitudes and lack of help didn't make the process easier.
Next, it is essential to keep good records of any medical procedure or other costs you incur. With medical payment systems greatly automated, it can be very difficult to trace back the billing related to any service. If you have good records, that becomes a much easier process. I thought the first bill was settled so I threw away the documentation--I should have held on to it.
And, as with any purchase, ask questions and do the needed research before signing on to any medical procedures. Ask up front, how much it will cost. I remember years ago when a doctor asked me which anesthesia I wanted for a procedure. I chose the one that he recommended. I didn't think to ask about the cost and then got a $1,000 bill. I inquired about the bill and was told that I chose the more expensive anesthesia. I was able to have that bill removed since I would not have chosen that since it had a big price tag and wasn't necessary. So ask up front, how much procedures will cost.
Further, make the time to trace the errors, don't just pay the bills. The more people simply pay bills that are confusing, the more systems can get away with billing errors or injustices.
In today's automated, quick-pace world, it's easy to get cheated, confused or misled. It's important to take time with our medical care and insurance. Learn how to read the complicated reports you receive and ask questions about costs and procedures up front.
I'm sure I'll learn more about this in the days ahead, but in the meantime I'll continue the research necessary to make sense of these bills and pay what I owe. Onward.