I wrote a post earlier about making sure you are on top of your insurance and how to understand it when it comes to having your baby. Now to do your best to be financially responsible once your bills arrive, here are a few things you may want to know (again this is just my experience...so take it for what it's worth!):
First, I was told by many friends as well as providers that hospital bills can take a year to receive, insurance may take their sweet time on these. To date (9 weeks postpartum) we have received the below, but I've heard many friends don't receive all of these until a much later date:
We received 4 bills from labor (not including any doctor visits prior to the hospital):
1. Hospital Bill for Me
2. Hospital Bill for Lorelai
3. Bill from the Doctor for the delivery
4. Bill from the Anesthesiaologist
Our bill from the hospital was the least detailed thing I'd ever received. My bill for labor, for example, had 9 things listed for my 4 days at the hospital (2 days for labor, 2 days recovery) which added up to $10,000 before insurance. They lumped everything together into categories. Not okay with this girl! I got online to the patient portal to request an itemized bill to check for errors. Enough people request this, that they had a little check box on their contact form if that is what you are looking for. If anything, looking over the bill gives you a good idea of how everything works. For example, even if you arrive at 11:30 p.m they will charge you the $1,000 room fee for that day, and 30 minutes later charge you another $1,000 for the following day (A friend warned me about this ahead of time too...but at the time I didn't care, as they continued to push back my inducement time and I just wanted to get going).
Also take time to review what your insurance paid to make sure that is accurate. Mine was pretty straightforward, so with the hospital bills (after insurance had the right coverage on my daughter) were accurate.
After getting the itemized bill, take a look and see if there are any errors with what the hospital bill, as well looking at it to discuss with them fair market price for certain things. For example, I was charged $37 for a nipple shield that the lactation consultant gave me...which the exact same thing retails at target for $5.69. Do your research, then call to discuss it with the billing office.
Here was my experience with the billing office: I told them I had X amount of money earmarked for this bill, and I can pay it right now if they will write-off the remaining amount. For me, the lowest they would go is giving me 10% off my out-of-pocket bill...which I took as a win. Your bargaining power is this: (1) don't be afraid to call and discuss, you can't get what you don't ask for (2) and you must be ready to pay it right then. They know that the longer the bill sits unpaid the more likely they will have to send it to collections and pay lawyers fees to get only part of that payment. They take payment right away as a win, and you get a discount which is also a win.
Here was my experience with the billing office: I told them I had X amount of money earmarked for this bill, and I can pay it right now if they will write-off the remaining amount. For me, the lowest they would go is giving me 10% off my out-of-pocket bill...which I took as a win. Your bargaining power is this: (1) don't be afraid to call and discuss, you can't get what you don't ask for (2) and you must be ready to pay it right then. They know that the longer the bill sits unpaid the more likely they will have to send it to collections and pay lawyers fees to get only part of that payment. They take payment right away as a win, and you get a discount which is also a win.
I reminded Kevin that the quick 10 minute phone call I had with the hospital saved us about $250 on our bill...which during your maternity leave every little bit counts!
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