According to an Ipsos survey of over 1,200 adults over the age of 60 that was conducted in early 2019, healthcare costs exceeding their retirement income was the second-greatest concern of that group.
After being worried about their physical health (64 percent), the rising cost of healthcare was next at 56 percent.
One of the go-to ways of keeping healthcare costs down is by making sure you are exclusively seeing providers that are in-network for your insurance provider.
Carthage Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing would like to detail how you can make sure you’re staying in-network, and what to do if you receive an out-of-network charge.
See In-network Providers
Be vigilant about seeing only in-network providers. Call ahead to make sure that any new doctors, specialists, or labs fall within the scope of your insurance. You can also find this information on your insurance company’s website. If you want to call the specific provider, have your insurance card handy, as all the information that is required will be on the card. Be sure to confirm with the representative that every provider you might see at the facility falls within your network. Just because your primary care physician is in-network, it doesn’t mean that your bloodwork or X-ray might be covered.
What to Do if You Get a Surprise on Your Bill
Even the most vigilant might get a surprise out-of-network charge on their bill. Here are three things you can do that oftentimes remedies the situation.
- Call the billing department that’s listed on the bill. Sometimes typos do occur and the wrong billing code may have been inputted.
- Your state may have laws protecting you against surprise medical billing. Call your state’s insurance commission for more information.
- If those measures fail, call the provider in question and ask if they can waive or lower the charge.
