Want to Save Money on HealthCare - Examine Your Medical Bills

In the wake of rising health insurance costs, one place they may be rising where you may be able to control is on you actual medical bills. Billing errors are more common than most consumers think. Health insurance experts agree that if you want to save money on medical expenses, one way is to start examining your medical bills more closely.

Health insurance reimbursements are a breeding ground for billing errors. In a 2003 study done by Consumer Reports it was found that more than 5% of those surveyed reported major errors in the medical or hospital bills, and consumer advocates say it has gotten worse in the ensuring years.

One big problem, there is little or no regulation of prices and customary fees. Doctors and hospitals negotiate different rates with the different insurance carries they accept payment from. You can easily be charged one amount for a procedure one year, and more the next. Lets say you find an insurance company that you prefer because their rates are lower, you switch to the more affordable health insurance policy the next year, but the doctors office continues to bill you at the higher rate. And that is only one example of a typical billing error.

And according to experts, people think that the hospital or the doctor’s office will catch the errors. But in truth the contract is between the health insurance company and the consumer, and therefore it is the consumers responsibility to check and correct any billing errors not the practitioner.

The best way to catch possible overcharges is to review your health insurance policy explanation of benefits statement from your health insurance company. This statement will include the date you had your doctors visit, what treatments were done, how much you were charged and what the negotiated fee between the doctor and the insurance company is and what amount if any you will be responsible for. This document should match you doctors bill.

Common errors you need to look out for:

• The Date – sounds obvious but people have been charged for services on days they cancelled or postponed appointments.
• Your Name – another no brainier, but make sure you bills are actually yours.
• Keep Your Own List – of whatever tests and procedures are done during a visit or hospital stay and compare this to what you are being billed for. If you are seriously ill and cannot do this – have a family member do it for you.
• Keystroke slips – you are charged for 22 units of blood when you were given 2.
• Operating Room Time – your bill says you are charged for 3 hours when the anthologist's record is charging you for 2 hours.

And finally, while most billing errors are just honest mistakes or computer glitches, there is deliberate fraud. Be on the lookout for identity theft or signs that someone is using your insurance card or information illegally, and you are being charged for procedures that where not even performed on you.