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  1. What to Do When You Can’t Pay Your Medical Bills 1. Check your EOB and bill for errors. When you get a medical bill in the mail, don’t assume that the amount it shows is the amount you have to pay. Billing and coding errors are quite common, and the only way you can avoid paying when you don’t have to is if you know how to spot these errors.

    • Make sure the debt is legally due. Under the No Surprises Act, which became effective in 2022, private insurers can no longer bill you extra for most emergency services — even if the services were out of network or did not have prior authorization.
    • Verify the charges are accurate. Check the dates and services on your bill. Make sure the right charges have been assigned to you and that you have not been overcharged or billed more than once for anything.
    • Request a discount. Don’t be afraid to ask for a discount. This officially reduces the amount owed. If you don’t have insurance or choose to pay out of pocket, ask to be charged at Medicare rates — which can lead to deep discounts.
    • Seek debt forgiveness or debt settlement. Debt forgiveness or debt settlement are other ways to reduce your medical bills. They differ from receiving a discount, which reduces the official amount owed.
    • Cerullo
    • 2 min
    • Ask for an itemized bill. As basic as it sounds, just asking the provider for an itemized bill, including the dollar amounts billed for specific products and services such as ibuprofen or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, can help reduce the total cost of a doctor's appointment or hospital visit.
    • Check for duplicate and unreasonable charges. Between 50% and 80% of medical bills contain errors, according to medical billing experts. Mistakes include improper coding and charges for products and services that were never provided.
    • Ask for financial assistance. Even a bill that's accurate can be unaffordable. Hospitals don't usually volunteer to provide financial assistance, but not-for-profit centers are required to make it available to those patients who qualify.
    • Check your state's billing protection laws. So-called surprise medical bills can occur when a patient receives care at a hospital or other facility that is in-network, but they are inadvertently treated by an out-of-network physician.
  2. Aug 20, 2024 · Medical Debt Is More Common Than You Think . In the U.S., many people are not paying their medical bills because they can't afford them. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 19% of ...

  3. Aug 3, 2023 · People will be getting relief from medical debt on credit reports 01:08. Do not use a credit card to pay off medical debt unless you plan on paying the bill in full at the end of the month ...

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  5. Jul 1, 2022 · Bills can add up fast when you're dealing with a health crisis. And if you can't pay them, they can wreak havoc on your finances. Here's how to stay out of medical debt — or make it go away.

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