Angela Mae
4 min read
Did you receive a surprise medical bill? If so, you’re not alone. According to KFF, Americans owe an estimated $220 billion in medical debt, which can be seriously detrimental to their overall finances.
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If you find yourself with a surprise medical bill, you have options. Here are some top resources to help you pay your medical bills.
The No Surprises Act of 2022 limits how much you have to pay for out-of-network providers or facilities. It is defined to ensure you’re paying closer to what you’d pay if you’d received services in your network, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
If you’re uninsured or self-pay for insurance, you should get a “good faith” estimate when you first schedule care with your provider. If the amount you’re billed is $400 higher than the estimate showed, you may be able to dispute it.
To do so, contact the No Surprises help desk or file a complaint online.
Learn More: This Is How Much Medical Debt the Average Person Has in Each State
The government has quite a few programs that can help you pay your medical bills. These include Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Eligibility mostly depends on your income, but it never hurts to research your options.
If you’re dealing with a hefty medical bill that your insurance doesn’t cover, these options from USA.gov could help:
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Medicare Savings Programs that help with Medicare Parts A and B
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Medicare Extra Help for help with prescription drug costs
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Local or state charity care programs that can offset the cost of medical treatment
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State social service agency that can give you referrals to better or more affordable healthcare.
Did you know you might be able to get on a payment plan rather than pay the entire bill at once?
“Most providers will allow you to spread the balance over time, often interest-free so don’t be afraid to ask about this,” said Linda Jensen, a chartered financial consultant, chartered life underwriter and certified financial fiduciary with Heart Financial Group. “Make sure you can afford the monthly amount, defaulting on a medical payment plan can hurt your credit if the debt is turned over to a collection agency.”
When you get an unexpected medical bill, one of the first things you should do is review it to make sure you’re getting billed only for treatment or services you actually received. After all, billing errors can happen.
