Medicare: Keeping Track Of Your Medicare Bills: A Simple Method
How To Use The System
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You can use this system step-by-step as follows:
After your visit
- If your provider will give you a bill at the end of your visit: Review it right away and ask any questions on the spot.
- If your provider is going to mail you a bill: Note the specifics of the visit in your file, including any lab work or other procedures performed.
When you receive your bill
- Check it against your notes for accuracy.
- If your bill is correct: Put it in your "Unpaid Bills" folder.
- If your bill does not seem correct: Contact your provider's office for an explanation and/or corrected bill. Place the bill into the Questionable Bills folder until you receive a corrected bill. Make sure the provider sends a corrected bill to Medicare. Note this on the bill so you know you'll be receiving two Medicare Summary Notices (MSNs) - one for the incorrect bill and one for the corrected one.
When you receive a Medicare Summary Notice
Place it in your "MSN" folder until you can review it.
Review the Medicare Summary Notices in your MSN folder.
To review a MSN:
- Find the matching bill in your unpaid bills folder. Use the date of service, provider information, and dollar amounts to make sure you're checking the right bill.
- Make sure the procedures and amounts billed on the MSN match those on the bill.
- Check to see that the entire bill was processed. If it wasn't, attach the MSN to the bill and file it in the unpaid bills file until you get an MSN addressing the remainder of the charges.
- Check to see if Medicare allowed the full charge or not. If not, you might want to contact Medicare.
- Verify that the annual deductible was only taken once.
- Verify that the right co-insurance percentage was applied.
If everything in the Medicare Summary Notice is correct
Staple the Medicare Summary Notice to the bill and file it in your Completed Claims folder. If there is a portion remaining for which you are responsible, note that. You don't need to pay this money until the doctor bills you for it, or you arrive at an agreement with the doctor's billing clerk on how much you owe.
If your Medicare Summary Notice is incorrect
Contact Medicare for an explanation. File the bill and Medicare Summary Notice together in the Questionable Medicare Summary Notices folder until you are able to resolve the error(s), and you receive a corrected Medicare Summary Notice..
For help about how to speak with Medicare, see: Talking To Your Insurance Company.
Periodically review your Unpaid Bills file.
Set a rotating alert in your diary to remind you to review your Unpaid Bills file every few weeks.
If a bill has been in the file for more than four weeks without receiving a matching MSN, call Medicare to check on the claim's status.
You may want to wait until you have three or four claims assembled with questions before calling Medicare - but don't wait more than 30 days from receipt of the MSN. A longer delay may provoke a "if he/she doesn't care, why should I?" attitude which may hamper your getting what you're entitled to.
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