If you end up injured via a slip-and-fall incident on someone else’s property, you might be dealing with a lot more physical ailments than you initially thought.
The medical bills for these issues can be staggering. Thus, it is important to understand how to negotiate medical bill costs while pursuing damages to alleviate some of the financial burden that you face.
Alternate payment forms
CNBC discusses negotiating medical bill costs. First, consider your alternate payment forms. For example, if you qualify for Medicaid or subsidized health insurance, you might have retroactive eligibility for medical coverage. Hospitals and other medical organizations also sometimes offer options for low-income patients to get financial help, especially non-profit organizations.
Check an itemized bill
Ask for an itemized bill, too. If you get a bill without itemization breakdowns, you could be missing a glaring mistake and not even realize it. Duplicate bills, incorrect code usage, and charging patients for medication or services they did not receive are all common mistakes.
Reducing your bill
You can even ask for a reduced bill in some cases. Researching procedure costs in the Healthcare Bluebook can let you see if your facility overcharged you significantly for a certain procedure. Your care facility may also be alright with charging you Medicaid costs if it means you will pay your bill.
Using a payment plan
Finally, you can request a payment plan, which is great for individuals who cannot pay off a large lump sum at once. Check your current budget to see how much you can afford to pay a month and try to work with the hospital to make a payment plan that accommodates this.
