How to Pay Medical Bills

If you have health insurance it will take care of your medical bills — to an extent. However, there might be a deductible that you are responsible for paying before the insurance carrier will pay anything. Your insurance could also require a co-payment, which you must pay the day you visit the doctor office. If your insurance does not cover all of your medical debts then it will be your responsibility to pay the remaining balance. You can pay medical bills through a number of sources.

Verification

Get your statement to determine the balance of your medical debt. Read all the information to make sure the medical charges are correct. You can make monthly payments by sending the doctor’s office an agreed-upon amount money per month.

If your health insurance is taken care of through your emoloyer, contact your human resources department and sign up for a flexible spending account (FSA). Money is deducted from your payroll check every time you get paid up to $3,000 to $5,000 annually, and this amount is tax free. You can pay medical bills by contacting your FSA administrator. They will send you a check and then you are responsible for paying the bill.

Seek the help of a nonprofit credit counselor. They might be able to help you make payments and set up arrangements that are affordable.

Contact the medical service provider and see if you can negotiate the bill. Your bill might be made up from a number of medical departments, such as x-ray, anesthesiology and surgery. Negotiating can save you a significant amount of money.

Contact your social services department and apply for Medicaid. A portion of your medical bills can be paid by Medicaid if you qualify for this program. Don’t pay your medical debt with a credit card because this could prevent you from being approved for Medicaid. There are some situations where medical expenses will be subtracted from your gross income to evaluate your Medicaid acceptability. Medical debts on a credit card will incur finance charges.