Medical bills can keep coming after filing a claim because medical providers and insurance companies still require time to reconcile charges and process claims. Claims can go through numerous checks or may require additional information before payment. Occasionally, bills arrive from out-of-network physicians or additional procedures that your plan excludes. Balance billing, claim denials, or slow hospital record updates can result in more bills making it into your mail. Even minor mistakes, such as a miscoded charge or a lost form, can delay reimbursement and generate new bills. To help you understand the process and what you can do next, the next sections explain each step and provide tips for managing these bills.
Key Takeaways
- Medical bills keep coming even after you file a claim because claims take time to process, many healthcare providers bill independently, and sometimes there are coding errors.
- Keep tabs on your claim and be proactive. Contact your insurance company as well as your providers to find out what’s covered and where the misunderstandings might be.
- Knowing your medical statements, itemized bills, and explanation of benefits (EOB) allows you to spot and quickly fix any billing errors or duplicate charges.
- If you are dealing with high or unexpected costs, look into financial assistance programs, negotiate payment plans, and potentially seek legal or financial advice to safeguard your interests.
- Be proactive in auditing services, challenging mistakes, and submitting appeals on time so your medical bills are accurate and you receive every possible reimbursement.
- Be aware of the nuances and potential automated mistakes in the healthcare billing machine. Fight for coordinated care to reduce chaos and unnecessary charges.
Why Medical Bills Keep Coming
Medical bills can keep coming after you file a claim because the healthcare system is layered. Multiple providers, insurance policies, and billing mistakes can cause new or duplicate bills to arrive well after treatment. A lot of bills, 80% or so, have errors or double charges, and mistakes like that cause a collection notice to keep coming. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these errors, contributing to increased confusion and the paperwork tsunami. Delays, incomplete information, and lack of coordination between patients, insurers, and providers all contribute.
Processing Delays
Insurers can take weeks or even months to process claims, particularly if paperwork is incomplete or requires additional verification, which is why you may continue to receive bills as the insurer processes your claim and providers may send you reminders to encourage payment.
Make sure you check on your claim’s status frequently, maintain contact with your insurance, and take notes of all your phone calls and emails. This history comes in handy if you need to dispute a charge or demonstrate that you followed up.
Separate Providers
Different providers, such as labs, clinics, and specialists, often bill independently. Each of them might send their own bills for their part in your treatment. If you had surgery, you might receive bills from the surgeon, hospital, anesthesia team, and lab.
Request itemized bills from each provider to understand what each charge includes. It helps to know which provider did what to avoid mix-ups. Confirm your insurance is aware of all the providers so coverage is transparent.
Coding Errors
Billing code mistakes cause many of those extra and surprise charges. Errors can be from shoddy software, human error, or inadequate staff training. Because roughly 80% of bills contain at least some error, always verify codes and ask your provider if something seems amiss.
Incorrect codes might cause the insurer to deny the claim or pay less, so dispute errors for a refund. By learning some basic code types, you can identify errors more quickly.
Insurance Coordination
When you have multiple policies, the insurers have to work out who pays what. If information is lacking, it drags and you get more bills.
You need to verify with both insurers how they coordinate, submit all paperwork, and continue to follow up on status. This helps ensure claims progress and payments are punctual.
Out-of-Network Issues
Receiving care outside your network can result in even larger bills. That’s because your policy might not pay much or anything for out-of-network care, leaving bills to just keep coming until you pay up.
Read your policy to see what’s covered. If you receive a surprise bill, attempt to talk down the price. Next time, stick to in-network providers when you can so repeat bills stay away.
Decode Your Medical Statements
Those medical bills keep arriving even after you submit a claim and it all seems never-ending. Understanding your medical statement is the starting point to decipher the charges and identify what you really owe. Your statements actually decode themselves by listing important items like the date of service, the procedure codes, and the amount you’re charged. The date of service indicates when you received treatment. The procedure codes describe what was done, such as tests or treatments. Billed is what the provider is asking to get paid. These specifics are important as mistakes can occur. For instance, a right code can mean an extra charge, and sometimes they’ll even send you two bills for the same visit. This happens more than you might expect and it’s frequently due to plain old human error.
A great way to check your bill is to compare it to your insurance explanation of benefits (EOB). There’s your EOB, which shows what your insurer paid for and what you still owe. When you compare these, you can catch if your provider charged you for something your insurance already paid. If the amounts don’t match, or if you find charges for services you never received, flag those as potential mistakes. This can help you avoid overpaying. For example, if your EOB says you owe €50 but your bill says €150, a mistake likely occurred.
If you see any discrepancies or surprise charges, contact your provider or insurance company immediately. Take notes and keep copies of all your bills, EOBs, and any emails or calls so you can clearly demonstrate what’s broken. Keep in mind you’re entitled to challenge erroneous charges or request additional details if something seems off. A lot of people have this issue; medical bills in credit reports reached $88 billion in June 2021. These bills can impact your credit score, and debt collectors need to contact you prior to doing so. The process is taxing and time-consuming, and it’s natural to be anxious or concerned. Even so, keeping yourself organized and informed provides you the best chance at getting things corrected and avoiding additional charges.
Manage Pending Injury Claim Costs
Pending injury claims can translate to pending bills, as cases sometimes drag on for months or even years, particularly if the injured party has complex injuries or liability is not clear. It’s important to control these costs so you don’t wipe out your bank account. Setting a budget, tracking all your expenses, and pursuing short-term financial assistance are critical steps. Staying in touch with your attorney and medical providers keeps costs in check and keeps your rights protected as you await a settlement.
Payment Plans
Ask for a copy of all treatment costs and billing. Create a checklist to direct negotiations with each provider. This includes what you owe, inquiries about interest or fees, and marking key payment deadlines.
See if your provider will work with you to portion large balances into small manageable monthly payments. Many providers know how long you will be waiting for your settlement and can establish payment plans to fit your particular circumstances.
About: Handle Pending Injury Claim Expenses
Never take payment arrangements orally. This shields you from surprise fees and assists in staving off disagreements later on. If you detect duplicate or questionable charges, call billing departments and request an explanation or adjustments. This is important to keep medical debt from stacking up, as some providers offer income-based plans.
Financial Aid
- Collect medical records, accident reports, and income statements.
- Check eligibility for government subsidies or hospital assistance.
- Review deadlines for each program.
- Save all correspondence and receipts.
Use assistance programs that pay medical bills while your case is pending. These may involve government health programs, not-for-profit assistance, or hospital charity care. Get your paperwork in order prior to applying. Most require income verification, injury documentation, and claim information.
Stay current on eligibility changes. Certain plans have guidelines that are updated regularly, and if you miss a deadline you can set back your assistance. Being organized allows you to make the most of the resources at your disposal.
Medical Liens
Medical liens enable certain providers to give you care today and receive payment once your claim resolves. This can alleviate immediate stress but can impact your ultimate settlement. Discuss all liens with your attorney so you know how they affect you.
As with your pending injury claim costs, work with your lawyer and negotiate lien amounts. Providers will occasionally go lower on the lien, especially if you have a limited settlement. File all lien agreements and emails for easy reference.
Precise documentation simplifies disputing mistakes or achieving more favorable deals. Smart record keeping helps maximize your settlement after attorneys’ fees and liens are paid.
Challenge Billing Errors
Healthcare billing errors are common and can cause lingering medical debt, even after a claim has been submitted. These tend to be caused by human error, insufficient staff training or ad-hoc billing. Some 80% of medical bills are wrong, including everything from duplicate charges to bad coding. Fixing these typically involves being proactive to collect documentation, interact directly with billing departments, and continue to pursue the errors until they are fixed. Good documentation and persistence lead to 74% of people who call their provider or insurer’s billing office about a concern getting the mistake corrected.
- Gather your bills, insurance EOB, and any communication from your provider or insurer.
- Collect your medical records, itemized bills, and treatment summaries to cross check with what you’re being charged.
- Write down all the codes on your bill and check the five-digit billing codes to make sure they correspond to your treatment.
- Record each phone call, email, or letter you send or receive. Keep a record of names, dates, and results.
- Don’t give up. Call billing offices again and again. Escalate the problem if no one is responding promptly.
Verify Services
Verify every service charged with your own medical records. Providers will tack on charges for services that weren’t administered or double-billed for something already on your original bill. Confirm that the billing codes correspond to the procedures you truly got. Mistakes here are common and can be found by comparing them to your treatment plan. If a charge seems unusual, ask for an explanation of that line item. Make note in writing of all discrepancies. These will be the basis of your case when faulting errors with your provider or insurer.
Contact Providers
It’s still crucial to talk directly with your provider’s biller. Come prepared with a list of specific questions about ambiguous charges or confusing services. When you note a charge for a follow-up visit that got added by your initial procedure, challenge and ask for itemized explanations. Always record the names of the staff you talk to, dates, and what was discussed. This documentation will be important if you need to pursue or escalate the issue.
File Appeals
If bills keep coming or your claim is rejected, submit a formal appeal with your insurer. Adhere carefully to the insurer’s designated appeal process. Missing a step may stall resolution. Enclose any backup documentation such as itemized bills, your notes, and communications to make your case. Keep tabs on your appeal’s status and follow up. Occasionally, it takes more than one back and forth to reach resolution. It takes a lot of advocacy and persistence because the appeals process is slow and arduous.
The Hidden Billing System
Medical billing is tricky and it’s behind the scenes. Even after you file a claim, due to how fragmented and opaque this system is, bills may keep coming. Most people don’t realize what all the charges are until a surprise bill arrives. In 2017, for example, 18% of emergency visits and 16% of hospital stays billed through an in-network facility had at least one out-of-network charge, confirming the extent of this chaos and uncertainty. Certain states establish statutes to avoid these surprises, but they frequently overlook individuals with big employer insurance who self-fund coverage. This has many patients anxious, with two-thirds of Americans concerned about being able to pay surprise medical bills.
Fragmented Care
Fragmented care is when multiple different providers manage various aspects of your treatment without necessarily exchanging information. This means that each provider may send you separate bills, which complicates matters and increases the risk of duplicate or surprise charges. For instance, you might receive a bill from the hospital, the lab, and multiple specialists for the same visit. Looking for coordinated care, where your primary physician or care team oversees your treatment, can help reduce these issues.
Discussing with all of your providers pre and post care is crucial. If you inquire at each one how they bill and who else is involved, you can potentially sidestep double or omitted charges. When you push for one approach, you can often clarify the process and eliminate the risk of unexpected billing that can stress your wallet.
Misaligned Incentives
In healthcare, incentives don’t always align with your needs. Providers might actually get paid per test or treatment rather than patient wellness. This can result in extra or unneeded services, leading to inflated bills. Be aware and inquire if every test or procedure is necessary for your treatment.
It’s a good idea to check in with your providers about your treatment plan to ensure it suits both your needs and your budget. Being aware of those usual culprits, like additional imaging or lab work, makes you more equipped to catch padded bills.
Automated Errors
Billing systems run automatically and can be buggy. Most bills are just mailed without being looked at by a human. Always examine each statement you receive for unknown services or suspicious totals.
If you catch an error, notify the billing office immediately. Hospitals are required to provide you with a mechanism to dispute charges or inquire. Request a manual review if the figures appear incorrect. The No Surprises Act, in force since January 2022, can assist with this. It’s still wise to review your bills and take action within 90 days if you require financial assistance.
Protect Your Financial Health
Medical bills can creep in long after you file claims. This frequently stresses your budget and leaves you vulnerable to debt. Medical debt concerns 6 in 10 adults, many of whom simply cannot pay and sometimes do so with credit cards or loans or skip other necessities. To safeguard your financial well-being, it’s crucial to employ tactics that keep you ahead of the game and prevent larger headaches.
A transparent budget is a good place to start. Add up your monthly income and expenses from medical bills, rent, food, and other debts. Set aside sufficient funds for medical expenses, even if the bills aren’t finalized or continue to arrive. This assists you in anticipating surprises, like when another bill appears after you believed you paid everything. Here’s about protecting your financial health. If you have trouble paying a bill, contact the billing office. Most billers have payment plans or can refer you to assistance programs such as Medicaid or Medicare. Some hospitals and clinics will help too if you just inquire.
A financial advisor can help if you feel lost or overwhelmed. Advisors understand the nuances of negotiating medical debt and can demonstrate how to integrate your bills with other debts. They can help you uncover options you overlooked, like government assistance or nonprofit support. They can steer you on to credit cards or loans, which in turn typically create more debt down the road.
Monitor your credit report. Unpaid medical bills can damage your credit score. Some good news is that paid medical debts and those under $500 are now removed from credit reports. However, larger or unpaid debts still matter. Reviewing your report regularly enables you to catch errors, such as bills you already settled or that are not even yours. If you do, speak with your insurance or the medical provider to get them corrected quickly.
Medical bills run amok with errors. Inspect every bill carefully. If it looks wrong, call your provider and your insurance. Protect your financial health. If you don’t pay the bills, they can get sent to debt collectors or worse, you could be sued or even have wages garnished.
Conclusion
Medical bills don’t end just because you file a claim. Hospitals and clinics generate bills according to their own schedules. Insurance takes time to process each detail. Billing errors slip through and missed paperwork can bog it down. Sometimes you get bills for the same care twice. To reduce stress, comb every bill for mistakes, contact your insurer, and gather everything in one file. Request assistance if numbers don’t add up. Many other people experience this, so you’re not crazy. To be proactive, read statements, speak to billing personnel, and inquire. Leave your story or tips in the comments. Your story will save others in this labyrinth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I keep receiving medical bills after filing an insurance claim?
Medical bills may keep coming because providers bill separately or claims processing and adjustments take time. Always, parse out each bill and verify claim status with your insurer.
What should I do if I get a bill for something insurance should cover?
Reach out to your insurer to verify coverage. If so, have your care provider resubmit the claim. Maintain documentation of your interactions.
Can I ignore medical bills while my claim is pending?
Don’t blow off medical bills. Call the billing office and tell them your claim is pending. This may prevent collections on the account.
What if I find a billing error on my statement?
Call the healthcare provider’s billing department right away. Inquire for an explanation or a fix. Maintain detailed notes of all communications.
Why do some medical bills come months after treatment?
Health care providers and insurers can be slow to process. Some services get billed separately, so bills show up later. Keep tabs on your treatments and statements.
How can I protect my finances from ongoing medical bills?
Keep tabs on every bill, every insurance claim, and everything. Dispute mistakes right away. Establish payment plans and financial counseling as necessary.
Who do I contact if I have questions about a medical bill?
Get on the phone with the billing department identified on your statement. You can inquire with your insurance provider for information on claim coverage or denial.
Money, Bills, and Compensation Questions? Get Clear Legal Guidance
At Phoenix Injury Attorneys, we know how overwhelming it is when injuries or exposure leave you staring at unpaid bills and unanswered money questions. Medical expenses pile up fast. Missed work cuts into income. Insurance calls don’t bring clarity. When you’re unsure who pays, what’s covered, or how long help will last, stress takes over. You deserve straight answers and a legal team that takes your financial concerns seriously.
Led by Khalil Chuck Saigh, our Arizona-based firm digs into the details that affect your compensation. We review medical records, billing statements, insurance policies, and employment impacts to identify every source of recovery. Our goal is simple, pursue payment for medical costs, ongoing care, lost wages, reduced earning ability, and the real financial strain you’re carrying now and in the future.
If the money side of your situation doesn’t add up, trust that instinct. Contact us today for a free and confidential case review. We’ll explain your options, fight for fair compensation, and help you regain financial stability with confidence.