Hospital billing: slow down and ask for help
Never pay a big medical bill on the first phone call
Who to call
The hospital's billing office and, separately, ask the floor for the hospital social worker or case manager — they are free and their job is exactly this.
Before you call
- Have the patient's name and date of birth
- Have any bills or explanation-of-benefits letters received so far
- Know the patient's health-insurance details if you've found them
What to say
“I'm helping manage finances for a current patient. Please send an itemized bill for all charges. Has this been billed to their insurance yet? Please don't send anything to collections while insurance is processing and the family is getting a power of attorney in place.”
“Does the hospital have a financial-assistance or charity-care program, and how do we apply? Can billing be paused while the application is reviewed?”
“We're planning for discharge and ongoing care. Can you help us understand what Medicare will and won't cover, what facility options exist, and who helps with a Medicaid application if it comes to that?”
Good to know
- Nonprofit hospitals are required to have financial-assistance policies. Applying often pauses collections.
- Never put a medical bill on a credit card — you lose access to hardship programs and interest-free payment plans.
- The hospital case manager is the single most useful free resource for care planning. Ask for them by name early.
Do this together, with the free app
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