{3 minutes to read} I was recently referred to a friend’s colleague. His mother was recovering from a stroke and was receiving incredibly high medical bills. His father was overwhelmed by the volume of invoices and insurance claims, and the son was too busy to help.
I went to see the couple—Harry is 86 and Betty is 83—to get the details and determine if I could be of help. Apparently, Betty suffered a stroke while in an exercise class at the Y. She had to be medevaced to the hospital—because when you have a stroke, time is of the essence.
Betty regained consciousness later that day, but faced loss of movement and cognitive issues. On top of her medical issues, she was now saddled with numerous bills, including:
- $30,000 bill from the medevac;
- $12,000 bill from a rehab center; and
- Multiple bills totaling over $30,000 from hospitals and doctors.
Understandably, Harry and Betty were very concerned about their situation. I reassured them that this was not an uncommon issue and that I could help.
I started with the medevac bill, since it was the largest. Because Betty was unconscious when she was flown to the hospital, the medevac company did not have her insurance cards. Both Medicare and Betty’s supplemental insurance policy covered the service and the $30,000 bill went away.
The rehab bill was a bit more challenging. As this is not my area of expertise, I decided to bring in a medical billing expert to help negotiate it down. I then went through the list of the other bills and contacted the hospitals and doctors to ensure they had her insurance information.
It’s imperative to be persistent with this work. Often, after the information is given to a hospital or doctor’s office, a new bill is received indicating that nothing has changed. It’s necessary to call again and keep the process moving.
One must keep good records, be vigilant, and keep calling until the correct results are received. It helps to have an outside resource who can focus on the medical bills and insurance claims while the family focuses on the care of their loved ones.
Outside of the rehab bill, which is still pending, Betty was only responsible for about 10 percent of the other hospital and doctors’ bills. Betty, Harry, and their son are very grateful for the results that were attained.
I want to be there to help my clients achieve the peace of mind they deserve, and to help my clients continue aging with dignity. Contact me today if you require assistance 917-279-3972.
Peter Gordon
New York Financial Organizers, Inc.
peter@nyfo.nyc