4 Ways to Save on Your Medical Bills

Reader Comments
Back to blog

Often E.R. doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and various "first MD on the scene" personnel order multiple tests and procedures "fishing" for a diagnosis or ailment. Consumers should question the necessity for such tests and their role in the treatment process. Do you really need a $5,000 Cat Scan or will a $350 X-ray provide sufficient information?

mac of VA 3:47AM August 23, 2008

I think that the doctors and hospitals should just accept what the insurance companies pay and just right off the rest especially considering you know that get large tax write offs for profit losses then that way the ones of us that are underinsured or even uninsured will not drowned in medical debt and contiually get garnished and not allow us to be able to buy the necessaties to live. It is completely and utterly ridiculous that we have to deal with this constantly. There is absolutely no reason why they cannot just accept what we can pay if uninsured or just give us free medical care because of being uninsured or if have insurance just accept what the insurance companies pay and don't bother us for the rest.

Janine of 6:16PM August 22, 2008

I practice tip #1 (getting your insurance to pay its share) and it is a full-time job. The insurance company's system is designed to frustrate and confuse, and therefore reduce their demands for payment. Including tip #1 is unfair and gives a false sense that consumers can actually help themselves this way. I spent over a year trying to get payment on one claim, all the while avoiding collection agencies saying that *I* owed the money. Stil lin the process of trying to get another one straightened out from March 07. I work full time and put in another 10 hours a week on phone calls (including hold times, mis-transfers, etc) and written communication. They just want to make you give up.

ANonymous of DC 11:03AM August 22, 2008

I think it is important to pass along the message to patients that charity care is not insurance and should be seen as the last step in the process..there are over 1 million people in new york who could be covered by a government program and the process to enroll and stay enrolled is becoming easier..for example ,at the medical center i work at we can complete the application for the patient (both inpatient and community services)and have it sent to the city for approval..we make it convient and accessible..an issue we have is that many patients are ignoring the requests to complete the application and waiting for the provider to declare it as charity ..this is not good for the patient or the provider..it creates an incentive to use emergency room services rather than primary care ..it creates roadblocks in getting prescriptions filled and making appointments with a doctor..by having insurance the patient can receive the continuity of care they need..we need to create incentives to get patients enrolled and re-enroll and then use financial aid when the patient has income above the government programs..

jim of NY 5:52PM August 21, 2008

Here's the "fifth" way, but it takes some time and some backbone. Elect Democrats from one end of Washington to the other. Get your national health plan.
There is no reason (other than sheer fraud) that your doctor or any other provider bills you at "retail" if you're uninsured, but settles for about half of that or less when paid by an insurance plan. The doctor had agreed in advance with one of those provider networks what he would accept. Why did he ever send a bill for even one cent more?
Look at your last EOB. If the doctor billed more than the insurance paid and he/she accepted it, your doctor is a fraud.
I personally had one billed at $2,000 and the doctor settled with insurance for $300. If I had been uninsured, they would have hounded me for the whole $2000 as though I was a deadbeat for not paying it.
American medical billing is a game YOU are losing. Get some spine and get the phony baloney part outlawed. Many modern countries already have. Why are you (we) so dumb?

of 4:42PM August 21, 2008