I just read a great article (written by Peter Davidson at Bankrate.com) outlining the 8 most common hospital billing errors. Here is what was found:
1. Duplicate billing: Make sure you haven't been charged twice for the same service, supplies or medications.
2. Number of days in hospital: Check the dates of your admission and discharge. Were you charged for the discharge day? Most hospitals will charge for admission day, but not for day of discharge.
3. Incorrect room charges: If you were in a semi-private room, make sure you're not being charged for a private.
4. Operating-room time: It is not uncommon for hospitals to bill for more OR time than you actually use. Compare the charge with your anesthesiologist's records.
5. Up coding: Hospitals often shift the charge for a lower-cost service or medication to one that's more costly. For example, the doctor orders a generic drug, but the patient is charged for a pricier brand name.
6. Keystroke error: A computer operator accidentally hits the wrong key on a keyboard. It can cost you hundreds of dollars and result in an incorrect charge for a service you didn't get.
7. Canceled work: Your physician ordered an expensive test, and then canceled it, but you were charged anyway.
8. Services never rendered: Did you get every service, treatment and medication for which you are being billed.
If you find errors, contact your provider's billing office and your insurer. If they are of no help and the discrepancies are significant, you may want to turn to trained professionals who will help you analyze the bill and negotiate for you.
Medical Billing Advocates of America (http://www.billadvocates.com/ ) is one of them, or you can try searching the web under "hospital bill review"
But be careful because these firms often work on a contingency basis, meaning they get paid a percentage of the amount they save you. So do your homework and be sure to understand the charges before you put a service to work.
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