Checking the Hospital Bill in Regards to a Health Insurance Claim
Part 2, Chapter 5: Traditional Individual and Group Plans, Hospital Bills Page 2
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These days, hospitals generally file claims for inpatient services directly with insurance companies, and they often receive payment directly from the insurer. In some ways, that makes it easier for the consumer, since there are no claim forms for consumers to fill out for a hospital bill. However, it also means that a consumer who receives inpatient services needs to take particular care to make certain that the hospital bill is filed correctly, and that it is accurate. For that reason, it's generally helpful to request a copy of your hospital bill, even in situations in which the hospital may take responsibility for filing the claim with your insurer.
Check the hospital bill carefully to make certain that it does not contain any errors. Depending on the policy, a consumer may be responsible for a percentage of the bill, including a percentage of any charges that may have been added by error. Some of the items listed on the bill will be self-explanatory. Other items may be abbreviated, or may be listed only by code name or number.
Table 12 represents an example of the kind of bill that a hospital might send to an insurance company. It includes only the cost of services, tests, and equipment supplied by the hospital. Doctors' services are billed separately. In this hypothetical case, surgery was involved, and the patient also had other medical problems (See Table 12).
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