If you have a high medical bill that you aren’t able to pay, ask to speak with a Patient Advocate. This is a great option if you have unexpected medical bills from a hospital. Just about every hospital a Patient Advocate on staff. The best part is that these people are there specifically to help patients. They act as the middleman between the patient and the hospital – including the billing department – and often are able to do more for you than you would be able to do alone.
Never, ever pay a medical bill without reviewing it first. You’d be shocked at how often medical bills have mistakes on them. So many times patients just blindly pay the bill because they assume everything is accurate. When you’re expecting a high bill, you may not immediately realize when extra charges are there that shouldn’t be. Thoroughly go through your bill, no matter how high or low it is, before you make even one payment.
If you’ve ignored your medical bills and you’re being inundated with calls from bill collectors, the worst thing you can do is ignore the ringing phone and delete your voicemail messages. Bill collectors realize that you’re probably not going to pay the entire bill on-the-spot. Many times, the bill collector will work with you to figure out a payment schedule you can realistically stick to. Also, many collectors will lower the overall bill if you’re willing to pay a large portion upfront.
There’s a negative stigma associated with local and state assistance programs, but there shouldn’t be. If you’re genuinely having difficulties getting on top of your medical expenses, contact one of these assistance programs. They’re in place to help you and there’s no shame in asking for that help.
Remember that every single medical bill, whether it’s from a specialty doctor, your primary doctor or even a hospital, is negotiable. If you keep this fact in mind, it becomes easier to work on paying off your medical debt. The more willing you are to negotiate, especially when it comes to paying your bills with cash, the more cooperative you’ll find collectors and medical professionals to be. If you don’t have cash on hand to help pay your medical bills, one of the best ways to consider taking out an auto title loan. These loans are perfect for short term needs like paying an overdue bill, and because there is no credit check, you get the cash you need quicker than any other type of loan.
For more information about getting help with medical bills or auto title loans, contact Embassy Loans today.