How to Dispute a Medical Bill
Physicians and medical facilities will sometimes bill patients for services that were not provided. While this can sometimes be an indication of a scam on behalf of the facility, more often than not, the medical bill was sent in error. Unfortunately, proving the bill is not your responsibility can be a lengthy and difficult process. But, if you fail to dispute the medical bill, you can end up being responsible for full costs, or you risk having the bill negatively affecting your credit report.
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Instructions
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Contact the physician's office or medical facility that is alleging you owe money. Request a copy of itemized statements reflecting the balance they believe you owe, along with any other records supporting their claims. After you have the documents in hand, notify the facility that you are disputing the bill.
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Review the billing statements and medical records, and compare them to your own records. Make a note on a separate document of any and all discrepancies you uncover, along with a reference to where each discrepancy was found.
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Contact your insurance company if it covered some of the costs of the alleged bill. Notify them of your intent to dispute the medical bill. You may be asked to file a separate report with your insurance company; keep a copy for your own records if you do. Also keep your insurance company abreast of all contact you have with the medical facility that you are in dispute with, by mailing them copies of all written correspondence you send to or receive from the facility.
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Draft a detailed letter describing your reason(s) for disputing the medical bill. Reference any documents where you previously noted discrepancies, and provide copies of these documents as well. Specifically request that the facility only contact you in writing; this will provide you written proof of your discussions. Sign the letter, and send it by certified mail with signature confirmation. Retain the certified mail receipt for your records as proof the letter was received by the medical facility.
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Contact an attorney if the facility continues to allege you are responsible for the bill and/or threatens to make a note on your credit report. The threat of an experienced attorney is more likely to settle the dispute quickly and effectively. Ask your insurance company if it would be willing to provide an attorney at its expense to assist you in your dispute.
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