By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    bowl of vegetable salad
    Raw Foods: benefits and harms
    November 9, 2021
    pros and cons of the keto diet
    Read This Before You Follow the Keto Diet
    May 18, 2022
    spinal cord injuries
    4 Potential Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries (and How to Seek Compensation)
    May 25, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    4 Reasons Why Medical Device Compliance Matters
    May 22, 2020
    What To Know About The Importance Of Healthcare Marketing
    November 23, 2019
    healthcare courses
    6 Supplemental Courses in Healthcare to Support Your HR Degree
    August 20, 2021
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Do You Understand Your Medical Bills? I Don’t
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Finance > Do You Understand Your Medical Bills? I Don’t
BusinessFinanceHospital Administration

Do You Understand Your Medical Bills? I Don’t

DavidEWilliams
Last updated: December 15, 2014 9:11 am
DavidEWilliams
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

Piling up the bills

Piling up the bills

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has issued a report that indicates that at least 43 million people in the US have unpaid medical bills. That has consequences since unpaid medical bills hurt credit scores, often substantially. Tellingly, many of these ‘debtors’ don’t have issues with any other creditor.

The report concludes that many non-payers simply don’t understand their medical bills.

More Read

health start-ups
Meet the 10 Startups Competing in the HealthBeat ‘Innovation Showdown’
Florida Pill Mill Clinics
Hospitals to patients: Go Away and Don’t Come Back Soon
What Healthcare Could Learn from a Technology Company
Genworth Publishes LTC Cost Data

I have a confession to make: Even though I’ve been working as a healthcare business consultant for more than 20 years, I don’t understand my bills either. Here are a few of the problems I face –and I know I’m not unique:

  • Providers send bills while insurance claims are still pending, so I don’t understand whether I’m being asked to pay the right amounts
  • Explanations of benefits from my health plan aren’t timely and aren’t informative. The services described sound completely generic and are hard to trace back to the provider bill
  • We now have a high-deductible plan and are being asked to pay more by our providers, but I’m not confident that providers are correctly taking into account our out-of-pocket maximums on an individual and family basis
  • Providers aren’t coding claims in line with the Affordable Care Act or insurance company rules, resulting in incorrect out-of-pocket amounts. (See my recent piece on the on again, off again co-pay for a routine physical)
  • Few providers (at least around here) allow online payments. I have to either call the office during work hours or mail in a check –both a hassle

I’ve said before that unpaid medical bills shouldn’t be counted for credit scoring purposes. And it appears that FICO has also come around to that way of thinking. Still the big problem is that the whole payment system is way too complex, expensive and confusing.

I understand that providers need to get paid, and increasingly that means collecting from patients. There are companies out there, like PatientPay and Simplee, that try to make this process easier. But we’ve got a long way to go.

photo credit: urbanbohemian via photopin cc

Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Dental health
May 21, 2025
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
Dental health
May 21, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025

You Might also Like

5 Points to Consider to Perfect Your Slide Title

March 16, 2014

5 Benefits of Orthopedic Group Purchasing

June 12, 2014

A High Price for Rare Cancer Drugs

August 31, 2011

The Interview: Some Lessons for Healthcare PR

December 29, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?