It Happens, and Here is What You Can Do
Many people pay their medical bills without realizing they should not have or should have waited to pay what insurance does not cover. It’s a frustrating issue, especially when insurance has already covered part or all of the bill, but you’re still receiving repeated bills for the full amount. In these cases, billing companies often fail to update the system properly after the insurance payment is processed, leaving patients unaware they’ve been charged more than they owe.
Why Medical Bill Overpayments Happen
Overpaying a medical bill is more common than most people realize, and it can happen for various reasons. Here’s why:
- Premature Billing: Billing companies often send invoices before insurance processes the claim, showing the full, non-discounted cost. Patients may think the bill is final and pay it in full, not realizing that insurance will later cover part or all of the cost.
- Repeated Bills After Insurance Pays: Even after insurance processes the claim, patients might still receive the same bill for the full amount. This can continue for weeks, or even months, without any update from the billing company that the balance has been adjusted.
- Automation and Timing Issues: Large diagnostic labs, hospitals, and other healthcare providers rely heavily on automated billing systems. These systems can be slow to reflect changes made by insurance companies, leading to inaccurate bills for patients.
- No Automatic Refunds: If you’ve already paid the full bill before insurance adjusted it, most billing companies won’t automatically issue a refund. You must identify that you’ve overpaid and request a refund.
- Threats to Collections: Some patients receive collection threats even after insurance payments have been made. These threats often come from billing companies or third-party agencies that haven’t updated the account correctly, making the situation even more stressful.
What You Can Do If You Think You Overpaid
Many people don’t realize they’ve overpaid until it’s too late. Here’s how to spot it and take action:
- Check your Explanation of Benefits (EOB): Your insurance provider will send you an EOB outlining what was covered. If there’s a discrepancy between this and the bill you paid, you might have overpaid.
- Compare the EOB with your bills: Take a close look at both the bill you paid and the EOB. If the amount you paid is higher than the insurance-adjusted cost, you could be due for a refund.
- Contact the billing company: Call or email the billing company to confirm that your account has been updated with the insurance payment, and ask for any refund due.
- Keep records: Retain all medical bills, EOBs, and payment documentation if you need to follow up or dispute the charges.
- Consult a lawyer: If you’re having trouble getting a refund or your bill keeps showing up incorrectly, legal help can ensure that your rights are protected.
How Baron, Herskowitz, and Cohen Can Help
At Baron, Herskowitz, and Cohen, we help clients who may have unknowingly overpaid medical bills due to outdated billing systems or delayed insurance updates. If you’ve been receiving repeated, incorrect bills, we can assist with getting your money back.
Our firm has experience handling healthcare billing disputes and can guide you through the process of identifying overpayments and working with billing companies to recover what you’re owed.
Contact us today for a consultation. Let us help you get the refund you deserve without the stress.
