Medical bills are costs or expenses related to various types of medical care, both for prevention as well as treatment. They can cover anything from routine checkups to serious emergency treatment measures. Medical bills are generally issued to people who visit hospitals or medical clinics. Health insurance is also a major factor in the payment of medical costs.
In most instances, payment for medical expenses is done in increments over time, not in full amounts. This is especially true for larger expenses.
Thus, medical bills represent legal obligations for patients to pay back the debts that they owe from their treatment or care. Medical bills commonly cover costs such as:
- Hospital stays (including overnight and long-term stays)
- Emergency room visits
- Costs related to ambulance and other transportation services
- Various medications and prescriptions
- Care and treatment related to pregnancy and childbirth
- Surgery expenses
- Costs associated with therapy or rehabilitation procedures
- Medical consultation and advice fees
- X-rays and other specific procedures
- Various other medical costs
Aside from itemizing the different expenses associated with the medical treatment, medical bills can also contain other important information and instructions, including:
- Method of payment
- Payment frequency
- Interactions with medical or health insurance companies
- Consequences of non-payment or late payments
- Various other provisions
Do Medical Bills Expire?
A common question from many hospital patients is, “How long do you have to pay medical bills?” The payment period for medical bills may vary according to the health organization.
In most cases, a person has around 180 days to pay a medical bill before it goes to collections. This is where the hospital or health care organization may begin making efforts to collect on the unpaid medical bill debt.
At this point, the unpaid debt may be reflected on the person’s credit score, and can have negative effects on their credit. Unpaid medical bill debt can remain on one’s credit score for many years.
If the person still does not pay after the bill has gone to collections, the medical organization might initiate a medical bill lawsuit against the debtor. But, there are statute of limitations for things like medical debts, and these statutes depend on which state the individual incurred the debt.
Once the statute of limitations has passed, and no legal action has been taken against the individual, then they cannot be sued or forced to pay the debt owed. What often happens is once the debt is passed, they are bought by another creditor who will aggressively pursue action to make the individual pay their debt.
But, once the limitations have run then they are no longer allowed to force the person to pay. Instead, they can only ask them to voluntarily pay the debt.
Remember, the debt will never go away, but the legal obligation to pay the debt can go away.
What Are Some Common Errors in Medical Bills?
There are numerous examples of what may be considered an error in an individual’s medical bill, including, but not limited to:
- Duplicate billing
- Inaccurate patient information
- Incorrect coding
- Failing to verify the patient’s insurance
- Incomplete documentation
- Missing filing deadlines
- Using incorrect modifiers
- Failure to obtain prior authorization
- Billing for separate procedures when one code should be used
If an individual suspects that there is an error on their medical bill, they can begin by reaching out to their provider for an explanation.
What Does a Medical Bill Lawyer Do?
A medical bill lawyer can help an individual in many different ways. If an individual is not able to pay their medical debt or chooses not to do so for a certain amount of time, it may be sold to collections.
This means that a collection agency purchased the debt or was hired to collect the debt by the creditor. Once an individual’s medical bills are 180 days past due, an individual may see them on their credit report.
This time period is provided to give the individual time to resolve the debt or issues before it is put on their credit report. If not, the individual may be taken to court.
If an individual is sued for medical debt, their lawyer can represent them in court and throughout the process. Working with a lawyer for medical debt can help the individual gather evidence regarding what they owe and what they have paid.
In addition, an attorney can help the individual request proof that they owe the debt. If a debt collector cannot prove an individual owes a debt, they will not be able to legally sue them.
An individual’s attorney can also help them reach an agreement on a payment plan with a creditor. If possible, many creditors will negotiate with individuals who have medical debt.
An attorney can help an individual file a dispute with a credit bureau that is reporting an error if they believe an error was made. The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires credit bureaus to follow up on disputes involving credit report errors.
In addition, the Fair Debt Consumer Practices Act governs how debt collectors are allowed to speak to debtors. If a debt collector violates this act, an individual may be able to file a counterclaim against them in court.
How To Choose a Medical Bill Lawyer
One of the easiest ways to find a medical bill lawyer is to submit the issue or concern on the LegalMatch website. An individual will then receive messages from attorneys near them who practice in the area of law they need.
It is free to take advantage of LegalMatch’s attorney matching services and an individual is not required to hire any lawyer who responds to their submission. Some attorneys will also offer free initial consultations, which can allow an individual to get information from several different lawyers and determine who best fits their budget and needs.
A common method individuals will use to find an attorney is conducting an online search. While this may seem like it would be helpful, it can be very time consuming and does not always yield accurate results.
An individual may get generic results directing them to a website or a large database they will have to search through. It may also simply show ads for companies that provide lawyer referral services.
A major issue with this type of searching is that an individual will not be able to locate the correct type of lawyer if they do not know the right search parameters or the type of lawyer they need. Then, while an individual may be able to find a medical bill lawyer in their area, it may be someone who only represents health care providers.
An attorney must also be licensed to practice law in the individual’s jurisdiction. Other ways that individuals may use to find a lawyer include, but are not limited to:
- Getting recommendations from family and friends
- Using an attorney referral service
- Reading news articles that mention local law firm names
- The Yellow Pages or another phone book
- Calling or visiting the website of the local bar association
- Taking down the number of a firm or lawyer from advertisements on:
- public transportation
- television commercials
- billboards
- Reaching out to legal aid services or non-profit organizations that provide lawyer contact information for free
Many attorneys now have accounts on different social media platforms, which can range from LinkedIn to Facebook. This can help an individual get a feel for a lawyer’s personality before hiring them.
What Are Medical Bill Lawsuits?
Medical bill lawsuits are lawsuits that are issued from hospitals, doctors, collection companies, or other parties in order to get a patient to pay for their medical costs. This is usually reserved as a later measure, after other efforts like debt collection have failed.
These types of lawsuits are somewhat common in cases where a person has undergone medical treatment that is unexpected, and that they are unprepared to bear the cost of. Examples of these are emergency costs associated with various types of accidents, and costs associated with long-term treatment for serious illnesses.
Here, the hospital or collection company may be requesting the court to demand that the patient pay for the outstanding costs. This can sometimes be done through a court order that requires the person to make the payments.
The term “medical bill lawsuit” can also refer to other situations, such as when medical costs are factored into a damages award in a personal injury lawsuit. It will depend on the circumstances surrounding the use of the term.
What if I Have a Dispute Over a Medical Bill I Received?
In many cases, conflicts over a medical bill can be resolved before they reach the point where a medical bill lawsuit becomes necessary. Some steps to take to help resolve a medical bill dispute can include:
- Negotiating with the health care provider or hospital: In many cases, the organization that issued the bill may be open to negotiations regarding the payment terms. They may be able to work out a plan that factors in major life changes, such as a loss of employment or other factors.
- Oftentimes, the organization would like to keep the patient enrolled in their services, and may be willing to work with them on the repayments.
- Speaking with the medical insurance provider: Sometimes, a dispute or discrepancy over a medical bill may actually be the result of the way the individual’s insurance is interacting with the hospital.
- For instance, there may be an error in the individual insurance terms, or a lapse in coverage after they changed jobs. It can be possible to avoid a lawsuit if this is one of the causes of the medical bill dispute.
- Consult with a lawyer: Changes in the law can sometimes affect a person’s medical insurance coverage, hospital bill fee rates, medical bill taxes, and other elements of a medical bill. It may be the case that the individual needs guidance or updated information in this area, which may help to resolve the dispute.
In some situations, disputes over medical bills might actually be the result of an error on the part of the hospital or medical clinic. In other instances, there may be elements of medical malpractice or negligence, or even health care fraud.
For instance, a healthcare organization might be found liable for intentionally overcharging their patients. In these types of situations, there is the possibility that many patients’ medical bills are affected by the root cause or issue.
Here, a class action lawsuit might be appropriate due to widespread errors or legal violations. Again, the input and guidance of a medical bill lawyer can be valuable in helping an individual respond to a medical bill dispute.
Do I Need an Attorney to Resolve My Medical Bill Dispute?
Medical bills can be complex and may involve significant amounts of debt or payments. You may need to consult with an insurance lawyer in your area if you need help sorting out a medical bill dispute.
Your medical bill attorney can provide you with advice and legal guidance for your situation. Also, if a medical bill lawsuit is being filed against you, your attorney can help prepare a strategy for your case.
When you need legal help for medical bills, you can use LegalMatch’s attorney matching service, which gives you free access to pre-screened and licensed lawyers near you. It only takes around 15 minutes to submit your issue and you will be matched with lawyers in your area who handle cases like yours.
