You've visited the hospital or a medical provider about the way you feel. Before you know it, you've been seen by several doctors, had a variety of tests run and you are not even sure why they are taking your blood again. All of this gets confusing, especially when things are happening fast. However, it is always a good idea to pay attention to what is happening so that you can avoid being overcharged. Unfortunately, it can happen even if you have health insurance in place to pay for much of your costs.
Tips for Keeping it Straight
When you are receiving medical care, the most important step you can take is to simply keep track of what is happening. Ask questions of nurses and ask for your medical records. You can use that information to back up any type of claim you receive later. Most importantly, if you are unsure of who a provider is, ask for his or her card. Watch out for doctors who "read results," too. These may be people you do not even see who play a role in the billing process.
Reading Your Bills
Once you begin to receive notices from your health insurance provider, pay attention to them. Write down what they were for and verify them against your records. Did you have these procedures? And, if you notice the same charge more than once, react. Duplicate claims tend to be one of the highest risks involved.
If you have questions, turn to the medical provider's office of billing or the hospital's billing department directly. Inquire about the service, request proof of a service and find out what is on your bills. Your health insurance company will likely contact you if they find an error, but most are unable to pinpoint errors because they were not there at the time of the care you received. And, if you find yourself charged for out-of-network fees or specialist fees, be sure the provider received your permission for taking this step before seeing you and providing services.
It’s hard to keep track of medical bills, but being focused on what happened and who was charged is very important.
We’ll help clear up confusion about what your policy covers. Call Mosely Insurance Agency at (405) 224-1000 for more information on Chickasha health insurance.